Shelterwood Cutting System for Forest Management

Abstract

The shelterwood system is one of the traditional methods used to encourage the regeneration of the species with heavy seed such as beech, oak and pine. Shelterwood forest management removes the overstory trees in a series of cuts in regeneration unit. This silvicultural system involves preparatory cut with felling intensity of 20-25%, regeneration cut with felling intensity of 20-25% for shade tolerant species and 30% for
light demanding species, primary, secondary light cuts and final cuts. Other units are under improvement cuttings and tending operations when regeneration unit is under shelterwood cutting. It confirms that instead of shelterwood system other silvicultural practices such as single tree selection system and group selection system should be applied for the mountainous beech stands of the Hyrcanian forests of Iran.