Crop Tree Management

Definition: Crop Tree Management (CTM) is a thinning technique used to promote the growth of trees that a landowner wants to favor through the removal of less desirable trees. CTM increases the health and present value of a stand, and also enhances the stand's future value, by concentrating growth on the most desirable trees.

In order to apply CTM to a stand, landowners select some trees for removal, but only if they compete with the desired crop trees. By making the well-being of crop trees a priority, the productivity and future potential of the stand will increase through time.

Procedure: First inventory the stand, choosing crop trees based upon the following criteria. If focusing on timber harvesting, crop trees should have high economic value, a dominant or codominant healthy crown, few or no epicormic branches, no open wounds, no v-shaped or forked splits and must be well-adapted to the site. For wildlife trees, concentrate on fruit or nut bearing trees and those with cavities used by wildlife. Only those trees directly competing with the selected crop trees will be removed. Finally, release of the desired crop trees uses a crown touching release. The removal of the poorest quality trees and least desirable species will enhance the crop tree crown and stimulate diameter growth. For best results, a four-sided release of a crop tree is optimal. However, on these soils, a two-sided release could reduce wind throw. by Bruce Ponsaran, Arnot Forest Intern

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