What Is Silviculture

What Is Silviculture

Silvics involves understanding how trees grow, reproduce, and respond to environmental changes.
Silviculture is a branch of science which deals with management & development of forest trees.

IMPORTANCE:

Forests are a valuable natural resource of following significances:

• Forests are also an important component of the environment to maintain ecological balance.
• Forests provide habitat to a large number of plants.
• Forests also maintain CO₂ & O₂ concentration in the atmosphere.
• They are also helpful in prevention of soil erosion and landslides.
• Dead plants & plant parts are decomposed and form the humus which enrich the soil.
• Forests are also helpful in the formation of fossil fuel.
• They provide us some useful products such as gum, paper, timber, medicines etc.

SILVICULTURAL HARVESTING METHODS:

• Selection systems are partial removals of trees based on the silvicultural objectives of the landowner. This method is used when species of shade tolerance or intermediate tolerance are considered desirable. Each tree is assessed, determined to be cut or to be left, measured, tallied, and marked.
• Seed tree cuts allow the harvest of all trees except 2 to 10 trees per acre. These remaining trees are chosen for their good form, genetics, species, and ability to produce seed crops. The job for these remaining trees is to rain down genetically good-quality seed on the freshly disturbed areas.
• Clear cutting is also a silvicultural method. This much-embattled method is truly a viable silvicultural practice. It is most often prescribed where sun-loving species are desired for the future timber stand. It is also prescribed in poor-quality or problem stands which have been abused by fires or repeated high-grading. In pine management, a clearcut normally is followed immediately by planting seedlings.