How does Natural Resource Planning Services, Inc. (NRPS) charge for their services?
Our fee schedule varies depending on the services needed. We try to cater our services to fit the needs of our clients. Some examples of our fee structure follow: Timber sale assistance may be compensated on a commission of the gross revenue generated from the sale of timber, or based on a per acre rate. Prescribed burning could be based on a per acre or daily rate. Lease management fees are typically based upon a percentage (commission) of the gross lease proceeds. Mapping fees are generally based on an hourly rate. Please contact us with your management needs and we will provide you with a free site and service specific proposal.

What are the different product classes of merchantable timber that can be harvested, and what are their specifications?
The following list provides general specifications for the majority of timber harvested within the southeast:

Pine Pulpwood/Mulchwood: any merchantable pine trees with a minimum length of 16 feet to a 3-inch top diameter inside bark (DIB) which are not suitable for any other products.

Pine Fence Post: any merchantable pine trees reasonably straight and free of excessive knots or limbs with a minimum length of 20 feet to a 2.5 inch top diameter inside bark (DIB).

Pine Chip-n-saw: Any merchantable pine tree of suitable quality with minimum measurements of 16.6 feet in log-length to a 6-inch DIB top and 8.0 inch diameter at breast height, or 25.0 feet in log-length to a 5-inch DIB top and 9-inch diameter at the butt.

Pine Plylogs: any merchantable pine trees of suitable quality with minimum measurements of a 13.0-inch DBH and 18 feet in length to an 8.0-inch DIB top.

Pine Barn Poles: Any merchantable pine tree of suitable quality with minimum measurements of 30 feet in length to 6-inch DIB or greater top and 9.0-inch DIB butt.

Pine Poles: any pine trees that meet ANSI specifications for a 35-foot or larger class pole.

Hardwood Pulpwood: any merchantable hardwood trees with a minimum length of 16 feet to a 4.0-inch DIB top, which is not suitable quality for veneer.

Hardwood Sawtimber/Veneer: any merchantable hardwood trees of suitable quality with minimum measurements of 13.0-inch DBH and 16 length to an 8.0-inch DIB top.

Cypress Mulchwood: any merchantable cypress stumps, tops, and trees that are not suitable for any other product classes.

Cypress Logs: any merchantable cypress trees of suitable quality with minimum measurements of 16 feet in length to a 6.0 DIB top.

How much is my timber worth?
The value of a timber stand depends upon the stand composition, stand type (planted vs. natural), volume of timber present, product class of the timber, and proximity of the timber to the processing mills.

If you have any questions concerning the value of your timber, contact us for a free site inspection and timber valuation proposal.

When should I sell my timber?
Timber sales will be dictated by many factors including stand growth rates, stand health, pine market conditions, financial needs of the investor, and long term goals for the land. Flexibility in the timing of harvests is a key advantage timber investments have over most other agricultural crops. Informed landowners can capture market peaks to their advantage.

Should I fertilize or not? Is it worth it?
Fertilization of pine trees has become a common timber management treatment across the South.  Whether it is right for your timber depends on numerous factors including, tree species, soil type, age of the trees, and management objectives.  Nearly all trees will grow faster with the application of fertilizers, but it takes specific knowledge to determine the right fertilizers to apply and to determine if the extra growth will be enough to make the cost of the fertilizer treatment worthwhile.  NRPS foresters have the knowledge and experience to prescribe and implement an effective fertilization program.

Should I utilize herbicide or not? Is it worth it?
Benefits of proper herbicide applications include increased timber growth, better tree seedling survival, less wildfire fuel accumulation, and even improved wildlife habitat.  All forestry herbicides are safe when used as labeled, so the only question is will the treatment achieve the desired management results and will it be cost-effective?  NRPS can provide herbicide application prescriptions to help landowners accomplish their management objectives.

Why should I hire you guys when I can just deal with a logger directly? How can you help me get more money for my timber? i.e., why should I pay a consultant?
NRPS can provide the following services in regards to a Timber Sale:

Create a timber management plan.
Design, implement, and coordinate a selective harvest strategy with the OWNER to ensure the proper amount and type of leave trees are left as necessary for natural regeneration and to accomplish the desired stand conditions.

Develop a market for the timber to be harvested.

Solicit bids from potential timber buyers.

Assist potential buyers in all tract reconnaissance.

Advise OWNER as to the acceptability of the bids.

Correspond with governmental agencies regarding permit processes.

Ensure that Natural Resource Planning Services, Inc. is compliant with all requirements set forth by governmental agencies.

Submit a sample timber sale contract to OWNER for review and assist in the development of a satisfactory timber cutting agreement between buyer and seller.

Obtain certificates of insurance providing evidence of general liability, workers’ comp, and auto liability.

Monitor all harvest activities to insure:
Only specified timber is removed.
All specified timber is removed.
Damage is minimized to the residual stand.
Payment is made of all timber under contract.
All timber harvested is delivered to buyer’s mill.
Mill scale tickets are in agreement with timber removals and payments made by the buyer.

NRPS will employ a four-part ticket security system to assist in tracking load payments.

Detection of insect and disease activity that may occur and provisions made for salvage if practical and possible.

What is that tree worth? (both timber-wise and ornamentally).
Timber-wise, individual trees within a forest of the southeast are not usually worth a lot of money. These trees are treated as part of a stand and it is difficult to asses them individually. Ornamental trees can be compared to the replacement cost from a nursery, but that does not factor in aesthetics, emotional, or other intrinsic values.

How soon can the logger begin?
This depends upon a lot of factors, e.g., weather, market conditions, size of the tract of timber, product class of the timber, location and distance to the mills, permitting, and the logistical layout of the tract of timber. NRPS is available to give you a free estimate concerning the status of your timber.

What is scalping? Subsoiling?
Scalping is the removal of most of the competing vegetation in a strip leaving bare mineral soil to plant trees, giving them a better chance at survival. Subsoiling involves using a coulter to break through the ground (usually very hard/impervious ground) first to allowing easier planting and correct placement of the roots.

What is a tree inventory? Why should I do one?
A tree inventory is a survey to locate and estimate the quantity and quality of trees found in a timber stand. Other characteristics such as species, size, and product class are included within the inventory. A forest inventory gives a landowner accurate data to further help them manager their timber properly.

How do I know that logger isn't stealing wood?
If handling a timber sale yourself, and not being able to watch it 24 hours a day, you won’t know. NRPS only utilizes reputable loggers and requires a four part security ticket system on all loads of timber leaving our clients forests. NRPS foresters are also responsible for unannounced site visits several times a week. All these factors allow NRPS the ability to reduce the probability of timber theft.

"I've heard that the State will burn my land for $10 an acre. How come you charge so much?"
Prescribed burning is inherently dangerous. Several factors including location, size of the area to burn, weather, proximity to major highways and development, the type and amount of vegetation present in the understory, fuel and equipment costs, and the amount of liability insurance that we carry determine our costs. Also all NRPS foresters are Certified Prescribed Burn Managers.

"Is this a good time to sell timber?"
Again, this depends upon the landowner’s goals, market conditions, weather, and the proximity of a landowner’s timber to the mills. NRPS is available to give you a free estimate determining this for you.

"Should I thin or should I clear-cut?"
The overall objective for the tract of timber needs to be defined first, then an evaluation of the timber needs to be made to determine how best to meet the final objective for a particular tract of timber. NRPS is available to assist you in evaluating your harvesting needs.

"Land taxes are killing me. What about a conservation easement?"
NRPS has completed various conservation easements and is able to determine the best fit for a landowner upon evaluating their property and long term objectives.

"Timber takes too long to pay off. What other revenue streams can my land generate?"
Pine straw is a “hot” commodity utilized for landscaping, recreational and hunting leases also provide a different revenue stream. Wildlife mitigation could also be a possibility depending upon the characteristics of the property.

Who are your clients?
NRPS clients include but are not limited to; non-industrial private landowners (NIPF), government agencies (federal & state), corporations, and timber investment organizations (TIMO’s).

"Dogs are chasing my deer and I've found evidence of poaching. I've tried dealing with the hunt club next to me with no results. How can you help?"
NRPS hunt lease management and timberland security provides various services such as; developing a timber security plan, building and repairing of fences and gates, patrolling and monitoring the property, posting legally defensible signs, and managing hunting leases.

"A tree service working next door cut down four trees in my yard by mistake. What are my options?"
First notify the tree service of their mistake. The value of the trees should then be determined by a certified arborist. Most reputable companies will replace the trees once receiving an accurate assessment from a certified arborist.

"We bought this lot for the beautiful big trees. I'm worried my builder is going to kill them. What can I do to prevent that?"
Tell your builder up-front, before any site activity, that the trees are valuable to you and that he needs to take steps to prevent construction damage. You should also understand that there will be costs associated with proper tree protection. Our urban foresters can help your developer plan to properly work around trees thereby giving them a higher chance for survival. We first look at the trees and pick the ones worth keeping - good structural form, few pests, appropriate species, good health. Next, have your builder stake out the building foot print. We will look at tree arrangement on the lot and pick trees that could likely be saved. "Tweaking" the building, grading, paving, and utility paths will keep these activities as far from trees as possible. Next we will prepare a written plan of action for your builder to follow that will help him work around the protected trees. Monitoring during construction is important to quickly help solve logistical problems and identify plan deviations. The plan will also include actions that you, the homeowner, will need to do after construction is complete.

"Our city wants to have a tree inventory done. "How much per tree do you charge for that?"
Many variables drive the cost of a municipal tree inventory. First, why do you want an inventory? What information do you want it to provide? How will it be used to make your job easier? Our urban foresters will first ask these questions of the department managers who are charged with tree care in your city. Understanding how this department functions and how they deal with trees will help us design the inventory to meet existing and future needs. A tree inventory is more than just a collection of tree measurement records. The recommendations for tree care activities associated with each tree are based on qualitative observations. The knowledge and experience of the urban forester tallying the information will be reflected in the quality of the observations. Quoting a US Forest Service publication, "The cost of collecting data on individual trees is directly related to the amount of information that is obtained on each tree and the expertise of the data collector. In many cases inadequate resources are designated for this component of an inventory and poor results are the often the outcome." (USDA Forest Service, Northeast Center for Urban & Community Forestry) Understand that you are contracting for Professional Services when an inventory includes tree care recommendations. Our urban forestry data collection staff have earned four year degrees and many are ISA Certified Arborists or SAF Certified Foresters. After we have a good idea of what you want your inventory to accomplish, we will survey the project area, whether it is all or a portion of your town, to gain an estimate of the number of trees and planting sites involved. Finally, armed with all this information, we can put together a proposal with a not-to-exceed price.

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Ad Valorem Tax
The annual tax assessed on the basis of land value – note in some cases the tax is based on the value of land plus timber.

Aerial Ignition Device (AID)
An incendiary apparatus designed to ignite wildland fuels from an aircraft.

Age class
One of the intervals into which the age range of trees is divided for classification or use.

Ambrosia Beetle
A member of the family Scolytidae and all members of the family Platypodidae (both Coleoptera) whose small cylindrical adults make or initiate small round (1 to 3 mm, or 0.04 to 0.12 in) tunnels (appearing in cross-section as shotholes or pinholes) in green timber and living but generally unhealthy, damaged, or dying trees

Amortization
1. Economics – The process of repaying a principal sum and interest on the unpaid balance in periodic installments over a predetermined period of time.
2. Accounting – Writing off the value of an asset over a period of years, generally its expected working life.

Annosum Root Disease
A root disease caused by the white rot fungus Heterobasidion annosum mostly on conifers, characterized by a light-yellowish stringy decay of the roots and butt, thinning crowns, and windthrow – note the fungus spreads from tree to tree by root contact; the disease tends to occur in patches of trees that enlarge progressively with infection centers often beginning in freshly cut stumps.

Appraisal
Forestry – The determination by a competent authority of value, or the value so determined, of property or goods, e.g., forest land or timber.

Arborist
One who possesses the technical skills, through experience and related training, to care for individual trees and related woody plants in the residential, commercial, and public landscape – note some states have programs that license arborists or certify or require bonding of arborists.

Artificial Regeneration
A group or stand of young trees created by direct seeding or by planting seedlings or cuttings.

Backing Fire
A fire spreading, or ignited to spread, into (against) the wind, in the absence of wind, or downslope.

Bark Beetle
A member of the family Scolytidae (Coleoptera), particularly species in the genera Dendroctonus, Ips, and Scolytus whose adults and larvae tunnel in the cambial region (either in the bark only or in the bark and xylem) of living, dying, and recently dead or felled trees – note bark beetles do immense damage to forests all over the world; some species are carriers of disease, e.g., Dutch elm disease; a few species attack roots, twigs, cones, and solid wood.

Basal area
The cross sectional area of a single stem, including the bark, measured at breast height, typically measured in square feet. This is one method of measuring density in a given timber stand. Typically the optimal basal area for pine stands within the southeast is between 50 to 60 square feet of basal area.

Bedding
Silviculture – To raise mounds in potentially wet areas with a plow during site preparation on which seedlings are planted.

Best Management Practice(s) (BMP)
A practice or usually a combination of practices that are determined by a state or a designated planning agency to be the most effective and practicable means (including technological, economic, and institutional considerations) of controlling point and nonpoint source pollutants at levels compatible with environmental quality goals – note BMPs were conceptualized in the 1972 US Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Biltmore Stick
A graduated rule used to estimate tree diameters by holding it at right angles to the axis of the stem and comparing the graduations cut by lines of sight tangential to either edge of the stem – note the graduations assume observations at a specified distance of the stick form the eye.

Biodiversity
The variety and abundance of life forms, processes, functions, and structures of plants, animals, and other living organisms, including the relative complexity of species, communities, gene pools, and ecosystems at spatial scales that range from local through regional to global.

Blue Stain
A discoloration in the sapwood of pine due to fungal infection – note blue stain commonly results in visual defect, but boards or plywood made from wood with blue stain can also be used to provide an interesting interior finish.

Board foot
The amount of wood contained in an unfinished board 1 in thick, 12 in long, and 12 in wide (2.54 X 30.5 X 30.5 cm), abbreviated bd ft – note in trees or logs, board-foot volume is a measure of merchantability, and therefore the number of board feet in a cubic foot depends on tree diameter, amount of slab, and saw kerf; commonly, 1,000 bd ft is written as 1 MBF and 1,000,000 BF is written as 1 MMBF.

Breast Height
A standard height from ground level generally 4.5 ft (1.37 m), for recording diameter, circumference (girth), or basal area of a tree.

Browse
Any woody vegetation consumed, or fit for consumption, by livestock or wild animals, mainly ungulates.

Buffer strip
A vegetation strip or management zone of varying size, shape, and character maintained along a stream, lake, road, recreation site, or different vegetative zone to mitigate the impacts of actions on adjacent lands, to enhance aesthetic values, or as a best management practice.

Burl
An irregular, commonly round growth on a tree stem or branch resulting from the entwined growth of a cluster of adventitious buds and having contorted grain.

Cambium
A layer of living, meristematic cells between the wood (secondary xylem) and the innermost bark (secondary phloem)of a tree – note in each growing season, division of these cells adds a new layer of cells on the wood (xylem) already formed as well as a layer of inner bark (phloem) on the outer face of the cambium.

Canker
A disease of the bark and cambium that causes a usually well-defined sunken or swollen necrotic lesion – note there are several forms of canker based on shape, position of occurrence on the bole, and whether produced in one year or several.

Canopy
The foliar cover in a forest stand consisting of one or several layers.

Cardinal Direction
One of the four principal directions north, south, east, or west.

Chain
A unit of length equal to 66 ft (20.1 m) and composed of 100 links.

Chip 'n' saw
A machine that makes small logs into cants, converting part of the outside of the log directly into chips without producing any sawdust – note cants are then sawn into lumber as part the same operation.

Chopper
A large cylindrical drum, which may be partially filled with water, with cutting blades mounted parallel to its axis and drawn by a tractor or skidder across a site to break up slash or crush scrubby vegetation prior to (usually) burning and planting.

Clearcut
A stand in which essentially all trees have been removed in one operation – note depending on management objectives, a clearcut may or may not have reserve trees left to attain goals other than regeneration.

Clinometer
An instrument for measuring angles of elevation or depression.

Conifer
A cone-bearing tree – note the term often refers to gymnosperms in general.

Conservation
Protection of plant and animal habitat.

Coppice
The production of new stems from the stump or roots.

Cord
A unit stack of fuelwood, pulpwood, or other material that measures 4 x 4 x 8 feet, or 128 cubic feet (1.2 X 1.2 X 2.4 m or 3.6 cubic meters) including wood, bark, and empty space within the stack.

Crown
The part of a tree or woody plant bearing live branches and foliage.

Crown Class
A category of tree based on its crown position relative to those of adjacent trees.

Cruise
A forest survey to locate and estimate the quantity of timber on a given area according to species, size quality, possible products, or other characteristics.

Cull
Any item of production, e.g., trees, logs, lumber, or seedlings, rejected because it does not meet certain specifications of usability or grade.

Cut-to-Length
Harvesting system in which felled trees are processed into log lengths at the stump before they are carried to the road or landing.

Deciduous
Naturally shed, e.g. leaves or fruit.

Dendrology
The study of trees and their identifying characteristics.

Diameter at breast height (DBH)
The diameter of the stem of a tree measured at breast height (4.5 ft or 1.37 m) from the ground.

Diameter Inside Bark (DIB)
The diameter of the wood portion of a stem or log cross section – note DIB is usually measured on logs or estimated on trees as diameter outside bark minus twice the bark thickness.

Diameter Outside Bark (DOB)
The diameter of a stem or log cross section that includes both the wood and the bark.

Diameter Tape
A measure specially graduated so that the diameter can be read directly from the circumference of a tree stem or log.

Earlywood
That part of the annual ring of wood that is less dense and composed of large-diameter, thin-walled, secondary xylem cells laid down early in the growing season (Springwood).

Ecosystem
A spatially explicit, relatively homogeneous unit of the earth that includes all interacting organisms and components of the abiotic environment within its boundaries – note an ecosystem can be of any size, e.g., a log, pond, field, forest, or the earth’s biosphere.

Environment
Ecology – The sum of all external conditions affecting the life, development, and survival of an organism.

Even-aged Stand
A stand of trees composed of a single age class in which the range of tree ages is usually +/- 20 percent of rotation.

Exotic
A plant or species introduced from another country or geographic region outside its natural range – note an exotic can become naturalized.

Feller Buncher
A harvesting machine that cuts a tree with a shear or saw and carries on or more cut trees in its hydraulically operated arms as it moves to cut the next tree – note a feller-buncher deposits small piles of cut trees on the ground to be picked up and transported by a grapple skidder, clam-bunk skidder, tree-length forwarder, or cable yarder but not by a regular forwarder.

Fire Behavior
The manner in which a fire reacts to fuel, weather, and topography.

Fireline
Any strip of land cleared or treated to control a fire’s spread.

Flathead Borer
A member of genera of the family Buprestidae (Coleoptera) whose larvae tunnel in the bark and wood of living, generally damaged or dying trees, or of recently felled trees and logs – note the larvae of flatheaded borers are recognizable mainly by their flattened thoracic segments.

Forest
An ecosystem characterized by a more or less dense and extensive tree cover, often consisting of stands varying in characteristics such as species composition, structure, age class, and associated processes, and commonly including meadows, streams, fish , and wildlife.

Forest Health
The perceived condition of a forest derived from concerns about such factors as its age, structure, composition, function, vigor, presence of unusual levels of insects or disease, and resilience to disturbance – note perception and interpretation of forest health are influenced by individual and cultural viewpoints, land management objectives, spatial and temporal scales, the relative health of the stands that comprise the forest, and the appearance of the forest at a point in time.

Forest Inventory
A set of objective sampling methods designed to quantify the spatial distribution, composition, and rates of change of forest parameters within specified levels of precision for the purposes of management.

Forest Management
The practical application of biological, physical, quantitative, managerial, economic, social, and policy principles to the regeneration, management, utilization, and conservation of forests to meet specified goals and objectives while maintaining the productivity of the forest – note forest management includes management for aesthetics, fish, recreation, urban values, water, wilderness, wildlife, wood products, and other forest resource values.

Forest Stewardship
The management of forests for all goods, benefits, and values that can be sustained for present and future generations.

Forest Stewardship Program
A program administered by the USDA Forest Service that provides funding to state forestry agencies for the purpose of assisting non-industrial private forest owners in the development of Forest Stewardship Plans.

Fuel Management
The act or practice of controlling flammability and reducing resistance to control of wildland fuels through mechanical, chemical, biological, or manual means, or by fire in support of land management objectives.

Fusiform Rust
A disease caused by Cronartium quercuum that forms spindle-shaped galls on the main stem and branches of two- and three-needled pines.

Gall
A pronounced swelling or abnormal growth, usually localized, of greatly modified tissue structure arising on plants in response to irritation by a foreign organism, commonly an insect or pathogen.

Geographic Information System (GIS)
An organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic and descriptive data, personnel, knowledge, and procedures designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, report, and display the forms of geographically referenced information and descriptive information.

Global Positioning System (GPS)
A commonly hand-held satellite-based navigational device that records x, y, z coordinates and other data allowing users to determine their location on the surface of the earth (usually within meters).

Ground Cover
The herbaceous plants (including grasses and ferns) and the lowest shrubs occupying an area.

Growth Ring
The cumulative layers of cells produced during a single growing season and characteristically containing earlywood and latewood cells of differing morphology.

Habitat
The place, natural or otherwise, (including climate, food, cover, and water) where an animal, plant, or population naturally or normally lives and develops.

Hardwood
Trees belonging to the botanical group Angiospermae.

Harvesting
The felling, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.

Hydric Soil
A soil that is wet long enough to periodically produce anaerobic conditions, thereby influencing the growth of plants.

Increment Borer
An auger-like instrument with a hollow bit and an extractor used to extract thin radial cylinders of wood (increment cores) from trees having annual growth rings, to determine increment or age.

Indigenous
Native to a specified area or region, not introduced.

Intermittent Stream
A stream, or portion of a stream, that does not flow year-round but only when it (a) receives based flow solely during wet periods, or (b) receives groundwater discharge or protracted contributions from melting snow or other erratic surface and shallow subsurface sources.

Ips Beetle
A bark beetle in the genus Ips whose adults and larvae scar the outer surface of the xylem of the host when constructing galleries, which are often Y– or H-shaped with a nuptial chamber in the center.

J-Root
A root that is bent into a J-shape because the seedling was improperly planted in a hole or slit that was too shallow or narrow.

Karst
Topography with sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage that is formed by dissolution in limestone, gypsum, or other rocks.

Kerf
The width of the cut made by a saw blade.

Keystone Species
A species that increase or decreases the diversity of a system.

KG Blade
A blade on a crawler tractor used in site preparation to clear unwanted vegetation prior to planting tree seedlings.

Ladder Fuel
Combustible material that provides vertical continuity between vegetation strata and allows fire to climb into the crowns of trees or shrubs with relative ease.

Latewood
Secondary xylem in an annual ring of wood formed late in the growing season and having cells that are relatively small in diameter, thick-walled, harder, more dense, and darker than those formed earlier (Summerwood).

Latitude
A method to measure the earth representing angles of a line extending from the center of the earth to the earth’s surface; with 0° representing the equator, angles are measured in degrees north or south until 90° is obtained at the north and south poles – note lines of latitude are often called parallels.

Leave Tree
A tree (marked to be) left standing for wildlife, seed production, etc., in an area where it might otherwise be felled.

Live Crown Ration
The ratio of crown length to total tree height. In southeastern pine plantations the first thinning should occur before the live crown ratio becomes 30 % or less to maximize the “release” of the trees.

Littoral
The onshore area of a body of water, extending from the shore to the limits of rooted aquatic plants.

Litter
The surface layer of the forest floor that is not in an advanced stage of decomposition, usually consisting of freshly fallen leaves, needles, twigs, stems, bark, and fruits.

Loader
Harvesting – A self propelled machine with a grapple or tongs and a supporting structure designed to pick up and discharge trees or logs for the purpose of piling or loading.

Longitude
A method to measure the earth representing angles of a line extending from the center of the earth to the earth’s surface; with a line extending from the north to the south pole and passing through Greenwich, England, as 0°, angles are measured in degrees east or west until 180° is obtained at the opposite side of the earth from 0° longitude – note lines of longitude are often called meridians.

Lump-Sum Sale
A timber sale in which the buyer and seller agree on a total price for marked standing trees or for trees within a defined area before the wood is removed – note timber is usually paid for before harvesting begins.

Mark
Harvesting – To select and indicate by a blaze or paint spot the trees to be cut or left in a timber harvesting operation.

Merchantable
Of trees, crops, or stands having the size, quality, and condition suitable for marketing under a given economic condition, even if not immediately accessible for logging.

Merchantable Height
The commercial height above ground or (in some countries) above stump height, to which a tree stem is salable for a particular product.

Merchantable Top Diameter
The inside- or outside- bark diameter above which a stem is considered non-merchantable for a particular product.

Mesic
Of sites or habitats characterized by intermediate moisture conditions, i.e., neither decidedly wet nor dry.

Mitigation
Action taken to alleviate potential adverse effects of natural or human-caused disturbances.

Mortality
Trees dying from natural causes, usually by size class in relation to sequential inventories or subsequent to incidents such as storms, wildfire, or insect and disease epidemics.

Native Species
An indigenous species that is normally found as part of a particular ecosystem.

Natural Regeneration
The establishment of a plant or a plant age class from natural seeding, sprouting, suckering, or layering.

Naval Stores
Gum naval stores include pine oleoresins such as pitch, tar, spirits of turpentine, and rosin; wood naval stores include products extracted by solvents and steam from wood or from pitch-soaked stumps.

Niche
The ultimate unit of the habitat, i.e., the specific spot occupied by an individual organism.

Noxious Plant
A plant specified by law as being especially undesirable, troublesome, and difficult to control.

Nuptial Chamber
A cell or chamber excavated by certain bark beetles under the host bark, in which mating takes place.

Nursery
An area set aside for the raising of young trees (the nursery stock) including bare-root and container seedling for outplanting, having seedling or transplant beds or both.

Overstory
That portion of the trees, in a forest of more than one story, forming the upper or uppermost canopy layer, e.g., in a two-storied forest, seed bearers over regeneration, or standards over coppice.

Palatability
The acceptability of a particular plant species or plant part to an herbivore.

Pasture
A grazing area enclosed and separated from other areas by fencing or other barriers; the management unit for grazing land.

Pathogen
A parasitic organism directly capable of causing disease.

Perennial Stream
A stream that has running water on a year-round basis under normal climatic conditions.

Permeability
The ease with which gases, liquids, or plant roots penetrate or pass though a bulk mass of soil or a layer of soil.

Per Unit Sale
A timber sale in which the buyer and the seller negotiate a set price per unit of harvested wood , usually based on wood volume or weight and product class – note the buyer pays for the timber after it has been cut and the weight or volume has been determined.

Pitch
A viscous, dark residue consisting of many organic compounds, mainly hydrocarbons, obtained by the distillation of tar.

Pitch Canker
An important fungal disease of pines, particularly southern pines, caused by Fusarium subglutinans – note pitch canker is characterized by flagging or girdled branches (often the terminal leader), sunken cankers, copious resin flow from the cankers, and resin-soaked wood in the cankered area; infection occurs through wounds and is usually vectored by insects or weather-related injuries.

Pitch Tube
A tubular mass of resin, boring dust, and frass that forms on the surface of the bark at the entrance holes of bark beetles or other insects – note pitch tubes are caused by the severing of resin ducts by the insects’ boring activity.

Plantation
A stand composed primarily of trees established by planting or artificial seeding.

Precommercial Thinning
The removal of trees not for immediate financial return but to reduce stocking to concentrate growth on the more desirable trees.

Premerchantable
Timber of specific species, quality and condition which is currently too small to be considered merchantable.

Prescribed Burn
To deliberately burn wildland fuels in either their natural or their modified state and under specified environmental conditions, which allows the fire to be confined to a predetermined area and produces the fireline intensity and rate of spread required to attain planned resource management objectives.

Present Net Worth (PNW)
The residual when the present value of costs is deducted from the present value of benefits – note if the present value of costs exceeds the present value of benefits, the residual is shown as a negative number.

Pruning
The removal, close to the branch collar or flush with the stem, of side branches (live or dead) and multiple leaders from a standing tree.

Pulp
Separated wood fibers used in manufacturing paper and allied products.

Pulpwood
Roundwood, whole-tree chips, or wood residues that are used for the production of wood pulp.

Reforestation
The reestablishment of forest cover either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).

Regeneration
The act of renewing tree cover by establishing young trees naturally or artificially.

Renewable Resource
A resource whose supply becomes available for use at different time intervals and in which present use does not diminish future supply – note two types of renewable resources are: (a) those that are not dependent on or affected by human activity, such as wind and (b) those that may be increased or decreased by human activity, such as timber growth and soil productivity.

Restoration
Ecology – The process of returning ecosystems or habitats to their original structure and species composition.

Rotation
In even aged systems, the period between regeneration establishment and final cutting – note rotation may be based on many criteria including mean size, age, culmination of mean annual increment, attainment of particular minimum physical or value growth rate, and biological condition.

Sample Plot
An area of a stand or forest chosen as representative of a much larger area – note sample plots are used in inventories, in studies of growth, or the effects of treatments.

Sawlog
A log that meets minimum regional standards of diameter, length, and defect, intended for sawing.

Sawtimber
Trees or logs cut from trees with minimum diameter and length and with stem quality suitable for conversion to lumber.

Scalp
To remove vegetation and other organic or inorganic material to expose underlying mineral soil and prepare an area for planting or seeding.

Seedling
A young tree grown from seed typically less than 1 foot in height.

Silviculture
The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners and society on a sustainable basis.

Site Index
A species-specific measure of actual or potential forest productivity (site quality, usually for even-aged stands), expressed in terms of the average height of trees included in a specified stand component (defined as a certain number of dominants, codominants, or the largest and tallest trees per unit area) at a specified index or base age – note site index is used as an indicator of site quality.

Site Quality
The productive capacity of a site, usually expressed as volume production of a given species.

Skidder
A self-propelled machine, often articulated (hinged) in the center, for dragging trees, or logs.

Slough
A low, swampy ground or overflow channel where water flows sluggishly for considerable distances.

Smoke Management
Conducting a prescribed fire under suitable fuel moisture and meteorological conditions with firing techniques that keep smoke impact within designated areas and below violations of air quality standards or within visibility protection guidelines.

Snag
A standing, generally unmerchantable dead tree from which the leaves and most of the branches have fallen.

Soil
The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as the natural medium for the growth of land plants.

Softwood
The xylem and trees of the Gymnospermae.

Species
The main category of taxonomic classification into which genera are subdivided, comprising a group of similar interbreeding individuals sharing a common morphology, physiology, and reproductive process.

Stand
1. Ecology – A contiguous group of similar plants.
2. Silviculture - A contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in age-class distribution, composition, and structure, and growing on a site of sufficiently uniform quality, to be a distinguishable unit.

Stand Table
A listing of the number of trees by species and diameter classes, generally per unit area.

Statistic
Any function of the sample observations; often an estimator of some population parameter.

Stewardship
The administration of land and associated resources in a manner that enables their passing on to future generations in a healthy condition.

Stocking
1. Biometrics – The amount of anything on a given area, particularly in relation to what is considered optimum.
2. Silviculture – An indication of growing-space occupancy relative to a pre-established standard – note common indices of stocking are based on percent occupancy, basal area, relative density, stand density index, and crown competition factor.
3. Wildlife Management – Releasing wildlife, particularly mammals, birds, and fish, specifically reared or captured elsewhere, into a given habitat for replenishment purposes.
4. Wildlife Management – The relative amount of animals, birds, and fish in a given habitat.

Stock Table
A listing showing the proportions of total volume within a stand by diameter classes.

Streamside Management Zone (SMZ)
A strip of land adjacent to a stream or river and managed in a way that meets water quality and productivity goals.

Stumpage
1. Standing timber as viewed by a commercial cutter.
2. The value of timber as it stands uncut in terms of an amount per unit area.

Stump Sprout
Regeneration of shoot growth from either adventitious or dormant buds from a cut tree stump.

Susceptibility
The probability that a tree or stand will be attacked by, or incur an outbreak of, and insect or pathogen.

Sustainability
The capacity of forests, ranging from stands to eco-regions, to maintain their health, productivity, diversity, and overall integrity, in the long run, in the context of human activity and use.

Sustainable Forest Management (Sustainable Forestry) SFM
1. The practice of meeting the forest resource needs and values of the present without compromising the similar capability of future generations – note sustainable forest management involves practicing a land stewardship ethic that integrates the reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air and water quality, wildlife and fish habitat, and aesthetics (UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio De Janeiro, 1992).
2. The stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality, and potential to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic, and social functions at local ,national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems (the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, Helsinki, 1993) – note criteria for sustainable forestry include (a) conservation of biological diversity, (b) maintenance of productive capacity of forest ecosystems, (*c) maintenance of forest ecosystem health and vitality, (d) conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources, (e) maintenance of forest contributions to global carbon cycles, (f) maintenance and enhancement of long-term multiple socioeconomic benefits to meet the needs of societies, and (g) a legal, institutional, and economic framework for forest conservation and sustainable management (Montreal Process, 1993).

Sustained Yield
The yield that a forest can produce continuously at a given intensity of management – note sustained-yield management implies continuous production so planned as to achieve, at the earliest practical time, a balance between increment and cutting.

Swamp
A tract generally characterized by a soil that is slightly acid, neutral, or slightly alkaline, and a water table at or above the soil surface (the water often moving perceptibly), supporting not only low vegetation, e.g. sedges, but also reeds and woody vegetation, including trees.

Tap Root
The primary plant root developing from the radicle.

Thinning
A cultural treatment made to reduce stand density of trees primarily to improve growth, enhance forest health, or recover potential mortality.

Threatened Species
A plant or animal species likely to become endangered throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the foreseeable future.

Timber
Wood, other than fuelwood, potentially usable for lumber.

Timber Appraisal
An estimate of the monetary value of a timber stand.

Timber Marking
The denoting of individual trees for treatment (cutting, leaving, or pruning) using paint, flagging, or other marks.

Tip Moth
A member of the genus Rhyacionia (Lepidoptera) whose larvae tunnel in the needle bases, terminal buds, twigs, and shoots of young pines.

Top Diameter
The diameter, either inside or outside bark , of the tree stem at a point on the bole above which there is usually no merchantable portion for the product of interest, e.g., sawlog, pole, or pulpwood.

Tree
A woody perennial plant, typically large and with a well-defined stem or stems carrying a more or less definite crown.

Tree Farm
A privately owned woodland in which the production of wood fiber is a primary management goal, as distinct from a tree nursery, fruit orchard, or landscape business.

Turbidity
The cloudy condition caused by suspended solids, dissolved solids, natural or human-developed chemicals, algae, etc., in a liquid.

Turpentine Beetle
1. The approved common name of the flatheaded borer (Buprestis apricans) that lays its eggs on the dried or burnt-out faces of resin-tapped trees into which the larvae tunnel – note turpentine beetles were a serious pest in the production of naval stores but are now minor pests associated with fire scars and mechanical wounds.
2. Some Dendroctonus beetles, particularly the redturpentine beetle and the black turpentine beetle (D. valens and D. terebrans, respectively), are pest of pines and characterized by production of large pitch tubes – note Dendroctonus beetles prefer stumps and severely weakened trees, are often secondary to primary bark beetles, but can attack healthy trees when population levels are high.

Twig Girdler
Any insect whose larvae are borers or phloem feeders in twigs and girdle the twigs, including some flatheaded borers, Cerambycid beetles, and clear wing moths.

Understory
All forest vegetation growing under an overstory.

Uneven-aged Stand
A stand with trees of three or more distinct age classes, either intimately mixed or in small groups.

Urban Forestry
The art, science, and technology of managing trees and forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological, sociological, economic, and aesthetic benefits trees provide society.

Urban-Wildland Interface
A forest or shrubland, commonly in the foothills of rural areas, where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation – note the junction may be well-defined or diffuse.

Veneer
A thin sheet of wood of uniform thickness, produced by rotary cutting (peeling) or slicing, and sometimes by sawing.

Water Bar
A shallow channel or raised barrier of soil or other material laid diagonally across the surface of a road or skid trail to lead water off the road and prevent soil erosion.

Wetland
A transitional area between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that is inundated or saturated for periods long enough to produce hydric soils and support hydrophytic vegetation.

Whorl
A circle of leaves, flowers, branches, or other organs developed from one node.

Wildfire
Any non-structure fire, other than prescribed fire, occurring on wildland.

Wildlife Management
The practical application of scientific and technical principles to wildlife populations and habitats so as to maintain or manipulate such population (Particularly mammals, birds, and fish), essentially for recreational or scientific purposes.

Wood Borer
Entomology – An insect feeding or boring into the phloem and wood, only the wood, or only the growing shoot.

Woodlands
A forest area.

Xeric
Pertaining to sites or habitats characterized by decidedly dry conditions.