Thinning Hardwood 
     
    
   
   
    
     for Wildlife 
     
    

    
     This enlargement of a hardwood stand 
     
     (refer to illustration on page 4) shows 
     
     a sample layout of thinning ships, snag 
     
     trees, food trees and unthinned cover 
     
     blocks designed for wildlife improve- 
     
     ment. As this is a hardwood stand, it is 
     
     desirable to retain scattered, mature 
     
     softwood for certain birds such as the 
     
     Blackburnian Warbler. The softwood 
     
     trees selected for retention should be 
     
     healthy, long-lived species. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Stand Description: 
     
    

    
     Red maple, sugar maple, and yellow 
     
     birch make up 75% of the trees. The 
     
     trees are 12 meters (39 feet) tall and 
     
     they are growing so closely together 
     
     that they seriously compete with each 
     
     other. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Assessing Tree Growth 
     
    
   
   
    
     By looking at the growth pattern on the ends of softwood (conifer) trees 
     
     you can assess the health of the tree. The last year’s growth is normally the 
     
     distance from the last bud (terminal) to the first side branch. If growth is 
     
     only an inch or two, growth is very poor. Another method of assessing tree 
     
     growth, for trees in leaf, is to compare the amount of height that is green 
     
     with the total height. If this is over 30%, the'tree is usually doing well. if 
     
     you’re observing trees without leaves, look for the presence of buds near 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     branch ends and the absence of branches without bark. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Poor Growth 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     SCALE APPROX 1:1” 
     
    
   
   
    
     I ‘0 ' -—- 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
        
     
       
     
       
     
       
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     Good Growth 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘~- -a' 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘ 10 ' Available from the P.E.I. Department Agriculture and Forestry for $7.50