Tree Harvesting Information

Tree harvesting methods will vary based on the specifics of the land, the types of trees on the land, and the location. Forestry Management Services will develop a plan to effectively harvest your hardwood tree lot. Hardwoods are trees with broad leaves that typically grow slower than softwoods. This can result in longer rotations. Listed below is some information on when some hardwoods can be harvested.

Birch

Birch trees include yellow birch, white birch and grey birch. These are the faster growing hardwood trees. They can be harvested every 30-50 years. Yellow birch may have a longer rotation age since yellow birch saw timber is more valuable.

Oak

Oak trees are among the faster-growing of the dense hardwoods. Oak trees can be harvested approximately every 50-70 years.

Maple

Maple (including sugar maple) is a slower growing hardwood. Maple trees can be harvested every 70-90 years. Maple is conducive to partial harvests that allow for more limited harvests being done more frequently.

Walnut

Black walnut can be harvested every 60-80 years. Because of the high value of black walnut logs, it can be prudent to wait longer to harvest to get optimum values.

Cherry

Black cherry is a fast growing species of hardwood tree. This tree is valuable for its heart wood and for its tendency to grow to large sizes, so longer rotation ages are appropriate. Black cherry can be harvested every 80-100 years.

Hickory

Hickory trees grow in a similar way to oak and share similar growing sites. Hickory trees can be harvested every 60-80 years.

Aspen

Aspen is a fast-growing tree species that thrives on frequent harvests. These trees are used almost exclusively as pulpwood for OSB. There’s no need to wait for it to reach sawtimber sizes. Aspen can be harvested every 20 or 30 years.

Ash

Ash is durable and has a high-quality feeling. It’s very strong and not prone to scratches and dents. It’s lightweight, shock-resistant, and used for furniture, cabinetry, doors, and flooring.