Basal area: Basal area is a measure of the density of the forest. It is expressed in square feet. The higher the basal area, the more dense the stand. When basal area exceeds a certain amount, thinning is usually recommended.
Chipping: Chipping is the use of an in-woods chipper to convert pulpwood trees to chips, which are then sold to a mill. The advantage of chippling is that trees too small to be sold as pulpwood can often be chipped and sold.
Chip n saw: Intermediate in size between pine pulpwood and sawtimber, pine chip n saw consists of pine trees between 8 and 14 inches DBH.
Clearcutting: a harvesting technique where all trees are cut. After a tract is clearcut, pine trees can be planted. A tract can be naturally regenerated after a clearcut, but the next stand will generally not grow as fast or be as valuable as a planted stand.
Cruise: A timber cruise is a way to determine volume, value, and density of timberland, by measuring some or all of the trees. For instance, timber buyers cruise timber to determine how much to bid on a tract of timber.
DBH: Diameter at breast height. DBH is the diameter of the tree measured at four and one half feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.
Grade pine sawtimber: Usually the most valuable pine product. It is older, larger, and more valuable that plylogs or chip n saw. Grade pine is usually found in natural stands; plantations produce much less grade. Not all areas have grade markets; in these areas grade trees are sold as sawtimber or plylogs.
Hardwood:generally, a type of tree which has leaves instead of needles. Includes oak, poplar, maple, sweetgum, and many other species. Baldcypress (commonly called cypress in the southeast) has needles and so is technically not a hardwood tree, but cypress is managed and sold like a hardwood.
Loblolly pine: The most commonly planted species in the southeast. Considered a southern pine, in most areas it is the fastest growing southern pine species and the best species for pine plantations.
Longleaf pine: a southern yellow pine species which can be planted to increase habitat diversity. Longleaf requires special techniques to manage successfully, and usually requires longer to reach maturity. Cost share programs tend to encourage planting of longleaf pine with higher reforestation rates, and sometimes cost share for prescribed burning.
Management plan: A report that details the current status of a tract of timber, and makes recommendations for management.
Natural stand: a stand that was not planted.
Plantation:A stand of planted trees, usually pine. Plantations grow sawtimber much faster than natural stands, although the quality of natural stands is usually better.
Plylogs:One of the most common uses for pine sawlogs throughout the southeastern United States, plylogs are larger than chip n saw and pulpwood. In the southeastern United States plylogs are usually pine, but in certain areas markets for other species such as yellow-poplar and sweetgum can be found.
Pulpwood:The smallest and youngest forest product. It is used to make paper, diapers, and sometimes is used for fuel. Can be hardwood or pine. Usually pine pulpwood is more valuable than hardwood pulpwood.
Reforestation:Usually reforestation refers to planting pines. However, natural reforestation can sometimes be effective, more commonly for hardwood stands.
Registered Forester: To be registered, a forester has to demonstrate competence in forestry to a registration board of the state. Continuing education is required to remain registered. I am Registered Forester #1429 in North Carolina and #2930 in Mississippi.
Sawtimber: Older, larger, and more valuable than pulpwood, sawtimber is usually the desired product in commercial stands of timber. Can be either hardwood or pine.
Select cut: A harvesting technique where only some of the trees are cut, and others will be left to grow and be harvested in the future. This can be an effective way to manage hardwood stands.
Softwood:(commonly called conifers) is a type of tree which generally has needles instead of leaves, and produces cones. Pines and cedars are softwoods.
Southern yellow pine: A group of several species of pine which includes loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, and slash pines. They are considered one product in terms of lumber and plywood.
Stand:A group of similar timber types within a tract of timber. Stands are usually similar in age and species, and contain similar products.
Streamside Management Zone (SMZ): the area near a body of water such as a stream, pond or river within a harvest area. SMZ's must be harvested more carefully to minimize erosion and stream damage. Usually equipment use is minimized in the SMZ, and select cuts are usually used.
Thinning: A thinning is a forest management technique where the basal area of a stand is lowered by removing the lower quality trees. Thinning results in faster growth for the remaining trees left in the stand. Thinning is much more commonly done in pine stands than in hardwood.