Copy of `Maryland Department of Natural Resources`

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Maryland Department of Natural Resources Category: Agriculture and Industry Date & country: 25/01/2014, USA Words: 176

wildlife habitat
the native environment of an animal. Habitats ideally provide all the elements needed for life and growth: food, water, cover and space.

windthrow
a tree felled by wind. Windthrows, also known as blowdowns, are common among shallow-rooted species and in areas where cutting has reduced stand density.

wolf tree
a large older tree with a spreading crown and little or no timber value, but often great value for wildlife.

woodland
see forest.

well-stocked
the situation in which a forest stand contains trees spaced widely enough to prevent competition yet closely enough to utilize the entire site.

watershed
a region defined by patterns of stream drainage. A watershed includes all the land that contributes water to a particular stream or river.

virgin forest
an area of old-growth trees that never has been harvested by humans.

veneer log
a high-quality log of a desirable species suitable for conversion to veneer. Veneer logs must be large, straight, of minimum taper, and free from defects.

understory
the level of forest vegetation beneath the canopy.

uneven-aged stand
Three or more age classes of trees represented.

unit sale
a timber sale in which the buyer makes regular (weekly, monthly) payments based on mill receipts. Unit sales are useful when the amount of timber sold is so large that a preharvest, lump-sum payment would be prohibitive.

understocked
a stand of trees so widely spaced, that even with full growth potential realized, crown closure will not occur.

trim allowance
the extra 2 or 3 inched left on a bucked log to allow logs with end checks, pulls, or slanting buck cuts to be trimmed to standard lumber lengths.

tree farm
a privately owned forest managed on a multiple use basis with timber production as an important management goal.

tolerance
a tree species' capacity to grow in shade

timber cruise
see cruise.

timber stand improvement (t.s.i.)
any practice that increases the value or rate of value growth in a stand of potential sawtimber trees. Pruning and thinning are considered t.s.i.

sweep
a tree defect characterized by a gradual curve in the main stem.

thinning
a partial cut in an immature, overstocked stand of trees used to increase the stand's value growth by concentrating on individuals with the best potential.

threatened species
a species or subspecies whose population is so small or is declining so rapidly that it may become endangered in all or a significant portion of its range.

suppressed
a tree condition characterized by low growth rate and low vigor as a result of competition with overtopping trees. See overtopped.

sustained yield
an ideal forest management objective in which the volume of wood removed equals growth within the total forest.

succession
the natural replacement of one plant (or animal) community by another over time in the absence of disturbance.

stratification
division of a forest, or any ecosystem, into separate layers of vegetation that provide distinct niches for wildlife. See canopy, understory, and herbaceous vegetation.

stump height
the distance from the ground to the top of the stump. Good logging practice dictates that stumps be as low as possible (preferably as low as 12 inches) to reduce waste, to minimize visual impact on the logging site, and to promote resprouting of trees.

stumpage
the value of standing trees in a forest.

stumpage price
the price paid for standing forest trees.

sprout
a tree growing from a cut stump or previously established root system.

stand
a group of forest trees of sufficiently uniform species composition, age, and condition to be considered a homogeneous unit for management purposes.

stand density
the quantity of trees per unit area, usually evaluated in terms of basal area, crown cover and stocking.

stocking
the number and density of trees in a forest stand. Stands are often classified as understocked, well-stocked or overstocked.

slash
branches and other woody material left on a site after logging.

snag
a dead tree that is still standing. Snags provide important food and cover for a wide variety of wildlife species.

softwood
any tree in the gymnosperm group, including pines, hemlocks, larches, spruces, firs, and junipers. Softwoods often are called conifers although some, such as junipers and yews do not produce cones.

site preparation
treatment of an area prior to reestablishment of a forest stand. Site preparation can include mechanical clearing, burning, or chemical (herbicide) vegetation control.

skidder
a rubber-tired machine with a cable winch or grapple used to drag logs out of the forest.

skidding
the act of moving trees from the site of felling to a leading area or landing. Tractors, horses, or specialized logging equipment can be used for skidding. Skidding methods vary in their impact on soils and the remaining stands.

shelterwood harvest
the harvest of all mature trees in an area in a series of two or more cuts, leaving enough trees of other sizes to provide shade and protection for forest seedlings.

silviculture
the art and science of growing forest trees.

site
the combination of biotic, climatic, topographic, and soil conditions of an area.

site index
a measure of the quality of a site based on the height of dominate trees at a specified age (usually 25 or 50 years), depending on the species.

selection harvest
the harvest of all individual trees or small groups at regular intervals to maintain an uneven-aged forest. Selection harvests are used to manage species that do not need sunlight to survive.

service forester
a professional forester employed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service. Service foresters help private woodland owners develop and implement forest management plans. There is at least one service forester in each Maryland county.

seed-tree harvest
the felling of all the trees in an area except for a few desirable individuals that provide seed for the next forest.

sawtimber
trees from which sawlogs can be made.

sawtimber stand
a stand of trees whose average dbh is greater than 11 inches.

scale stick
a calibrated stick used to estimate wood volume in a log.

sealed-bid sale
a timber sale, usually offered through a consulting forester, in which buyers submit secret bids.

seed tree
a mature tree left uncut to provide seed for regeneration of a harvested stand.

sawlog tree
a tree at least 11 inches dbh and suitable for conversion to lumber. Sometimes, trees 11 to 14 inches dbh are called small sawlog trees, and trees larger than 18 inches dbh are called large sawlog trees.

salvage cut
the removal of dead, damaged, or diseased trees to recover maximum value prior to deterioration.

sapling
a tree at least 4 1/2 feet tall and up to 4 inches in diameter.

sapling stand
a stand of trees whose average dbh is between 1 and 4 inches.

sawlog
a log large enough to be sawed economically on a sawmill. Sawlogs are usually at least 8 inches in diameter at the small end.

rotation
the number of years required to grow a stand to a desired size or maturity.

pulpwood
wood suitable for use in paper manufacturing.

regeneration
the process by which a forest is reseeded and renewed. Advanced regeneration refers to regeneration that is established before the existing forest stand is removed.

regeneration cut
a timber harvest designed to promote natural establishment of trees.

release
to remove overtopping trees that compete with understory or suppressed trees.

residual stand
the trees remaining intact following any cutting operation.

pulaski
Firefighters use this tool, which combines a single-bitted axe blade for chopping with a narrow blade for trenching, to clear vegetation when constructing a fireline.

precommercial treatments
forestry operations that require landowner investment, such as cleaning or weeding stands to remove trees that have little or no cash value. See commercial treatments.

prospectus
a document that describes the location of a property, indicates trees marked for cutting, and states that the timber will be sold in accordance with a suitable contact. A prospectus includes the number of trees marked, their diameter classes, and a volume estimate for each species.

pruning
the act of sawing or cutting branches from a living tree. In forest management, pruning is done to promote the growth of clear, valuable wood on the tree bole.

precommercial operations
cutting in forest stands to remove wood too small to be marketed. Precommercial operations improve species composition and increase the quality, growth, and vigor of remaining trees.

overtopped
the situation in which a tree cannot sufficiently extend its crown into the overstory and receive direct sunlight. Overtopped trees that lack shade tolerance lose vigor and die.

patch cut
a clearcut on a small area.

pole stand
a stand of trees whose average dbh is between 4 and 10 inches.

pole timber
trees 4 to 10 inches dbh.

overmature
a quality exhibited by trees that have declined in growth rate because of old age and loss of vigor.

overstocked
the situation in which trees are so closely spaced that they compete for resources and do not reach full growth potential.

overstory
the level of forest canopy that includes the crowns of dominant, codominant, and intermediate trees.

oak-pine forest type
an association of tree species common to the Southeastern United States that includes loblolly pine, Virginia pine, northern red oak, and white ash.

old-growth forest
a wooded area, usually greater than 200 years of age, that has never been altered or harvested by humans. An old-growth forest often has large individual trees, a multi-layered crown canopy, and a significant accumulation of coarse woody debris including snags and fallen logs.

nontidal wetlands
wetlands not affected by ocean tides. Nontidal wetlands are subject to special regulations.

northern hardwood forest type
an association of tree species common to the Northeastern United States that includes sugar maple, red maple, yellow birch, hemlock, and American beech.

oak-gum-cypress forest type
an association of tree species common to the bottom lands of the Southeastern United States.

oak-hickory forest type
an association of tree species common to the Northeastern United States that includes oak, hickory, yellow poplar, and red maple.

nongame wildlife
wildlife species that are protected by state wildlife laws and can not be hunted. Examples include songbirds, eagles, etc.

merchantable height
the point on a tree stem to which the stem is salable. Limits are: the point at which a sawlog tree is less than 8 inches in diameter, measured inside the bark (dib); the point at which a pulpwood tree is less than 4 inches dib; or the point on any tree where a defect is found that cannot be processed out.

mcleod
Firefighters also use this combination hoe, rake and scraping tool and rake to remove plants and shrubs when building a fireline.

mast
nuts and seeds, such as acorns, beechnuts, and chestnuts, of trees that serve as food for wildlife.

marking timber
indicating by paint or other means which trees are to be cut or otherwise treated. It is advisable to mark trees to be harvested twice-once at eye level and once on the stump.

log rule
a method for calculating wood volume in a tree or log by using its diameter and length. The international 1/4-inch rule is the legal rule in Maryland.

logger
an individual who harvests timber for a living.

lopping
cutting tree tops to a maximum specified height above the ground after a tree is felled.

lump-sum sale
a timber sale in which an agreed-on price for marked standing trees is set before the wood is removed (as opposed to a unit sale).

loblolly-shortleaf forest type
an association of tree species common to the southeastern United States that includes loblolly and shortleaf pines and oaks.

landing
a cleared area within a timber harvest where harvested logs are processed, piled, and loaded for transport to a sawmill or other facility.

introduced species
a nonnative species that was intentionally or unintentionally brought into an area by humans.

intolerance
a characteristic of certain tree species that does not permit them to survive in the shade of other trees.

intermediate tolerance
a characteristic of certain tree species that allows them to survive, though not necessarily thrive, in relatively low light conditions.

intermediate crown class
trees with crowns that extend into the canopy with dominant and codominate trees. These trees receive little direct sunlight from above and none from the sides. Crowns generally are small and crowded on all sides.

increment borer
an augerlike tool with a hollow bit designed to extract cores from tree stems for the determination of age and growth rate.

industrial forester
a professional employed by a wood-using industry, usually a sawmill, who purchases timber from private woodland owners. Many industrial foresters offer free forest management or marketing services to the landowners who sell timber to the forester's employer.

hypsometer
any of several tools or instruments designed to measure the height of trees. The clinometer is such a tool.

harvest
the cutting, felling, and gathering of forest timber.

headlamp
Firefighters who work on the fireline at night wear these flashlights on the front of their helmets.

herbaceous vegetation
low-growing, non-woody plants, including wildflowers and ferns, in a forest understory.

high grading
to remove all mature, good quality trees from a stand and leave inferior species and individuals. High grading should be distinguished from even-aged management in which mature and immature trees are removed to aid regeneration.