Before and After Harvesting Pictures

This 11.5 Acre unit is located in Stevens County, WA. The landowner has the goal to improve the unit and maintain a greater degree of fire protection. Note the heavy fuels and fire ladders into the standing trees.

BEFORE TREATMENT 2- Due to heavy shading and extremely crowded growing conditions this stand is a prime candidate for a stand replacement fire. Heavy shade is also shifting this seral stand to a more shade tolerant species stand.

Before Treatment 3 - Stand is surveyed

AFTER TREATMENT 2- Note wider spacing and more open "park like feel" to the stand. The understory is now more open encouraging regeneration. Wildlife can better travel this stand. This may prove to be a detriment as landowner wishes to replant bare and open areas.

The logging operation performed on this unit used a whole tree processor (hot-saw). All trees were yarded, via grapple skidder to a common landing where trees were processed and sorted by log type. This created a large slash pile. This slash will be chipped and used for biomass fuel at a local plant. The landowner also wanted to replant the site hence all the slash will be treated in one location. Replanting with ponderosa pine will give the seedlings a head-start to the inevitable lodgepole pine regeneration.

In 2001 dollars, the landowner realized a net income (following all logging expenses) of $349/acre. This will pay for future reforestation expenses for this site while dramatically improving the site in appearance, resiliency and fire protection. Contrast the picture on the left to AFTER the treatment and ask yourself:

"What type of forest do I want?"