Variable-retention harvesting will likely be increasingly used in eastern Canada because of new legislations regulating harvesting activities. In the fall of 2002, FERIC studied five variants of this harvesting approach, adapted to the forests of eastern Canada, and assessed the stand characteristics retained, the operational considerations, and the direct costs. The additional costs associated with variable retention arise primarily from the volumes of fiber that are left unharvested in the forest and depend on the nature and quantity of the elements retained. Our trials confirmed that variable-retention harvesting is a viable approach in eastern Canada.
Variable retention
Partial Cut
Shelterwood Cut
Harvesting with protection of small merchantable stems