Specifications include, but are not limited to: This project requires the use of a chainsaw and/or brush cutter to hand thin sapling sized trees in 1 treatment area totaling 51 acres. C. Tree Quality Selection Criteria: 1. The best trees of each species will be retained as leave trees in all units. Indicators of desirable trees are: straight stems, small branch diameter, good crown coloration, good crown form, good crown ratios (> 45%), freedom from insects, diseases, and physical and mechanical damages, vigorous annual growth as indicated by long terminal leader. 2. A few individual western white pine can be found throughout the units. Healthy western white pine shall be thinned around (including trees < 3’) to an 8’ spacing. The intent is to remove vegetation and moisture below western white pine to reduce the chance of blister rust. Thinning to a tighter spacing next to western white pine will keep a desired stocking density in the event of western white pine tree mortality. 3. These indicators of undesirable trees shall determine the trees to be cut; slight defects may be acceptable for leave tree if it is the best selection within a competitive group.
