Thinning in forestry is the selective removal of trees, primarily undertaken to improve the growth rate or health of the remaining trees. The process of thinning ultimately allows for a much higher quality timber product and increased timber value. Overcrowded trees are under competitive stress from their neighbors. Thinning may be done to increase the resistance of the stand to environmental stress such as drought, insect infestation or extreme temperature. The reason that thinning is important is because – with the removal of trees – you are removing the competition for space and nutrients – giving viable trees healthy growing space and access to nutrients that will allow them to reach their potential. The process of thinning includes the removal of dead and/or dying trees.

Clear Cutting refers to the process of removing the entirety of disease infested stand – thus clearing the way for healthy trees to take root and thrive. Like thinning, clear cutting is a management technique that essentially removes the competition for sunlight, nutrients, and soil moisture allowing accessibility for healthy trees to reach their full potential. Clear cutting is also a process that is used in the removal of stand during the final rotation – harvest – in preparation for replanting.

In forestry, clearcutting is practiced to help instate tree species that require high light intensity environments. Generally, a harvest area more than two heights of the trees in the adjacent forest will cease to have its moderating influence on the microclimatic conditions. The width of the harvest area can thus determine which vegetative species will come to dominate, those with high tolerance to extremes in temperature, soil moisture, and resistance to browse will establish, in particular secondary successional pioneer species.

is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by the processes of logging and/or burning of trees in a forested area. There are several reasons deforestation occurs: trees or derived charcoal can be sold as a commodity and used by humans, while cleared land is used as pasture, plantations of commodities and human settlement. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. Deforested regions typically incur signicifant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland.

The harvest process is a multi-faceted one that involves synergy between a variety of operations. Following harvest, the area must be cleared in preparation for replanting and debris removed effectively.  At Cornell Logging we implement a clearing plan that is in keeping with safe operating practices and will quickly and efficiently clear the harvest with complete respect for the land.  Our grinding process removes all brush and unwanted trees – turning them into mulch that will eliminate stumps as well as the need to haul away material. This immediately prepares the ground for replanting and allows for instant use.

Obviously the services that we provide, up to, including, and after a successful harvest operation requires accessibility to the land itself – with the machinery that can effectively do the job. In order to make sure that we are able to reach the area safely and carry out our operations effectively we will build roads to the area to effectively transport our equipment and haul away product.