The preferred way to thin a young pole stand is the "crop tree selection 

 method." This is a simple method of thinning stands to the advantage of the 

 best trees (i.e., crop trees) in the stand. First, trees selected as crop 

 trees should be a valuable species. They should be straight, tall, have 

 relatively small branches, and should show signs of self-pruning (the lower 10 

 to 16 feet, or 3 to 5 m, of the tree should have few or no branches). The 

 crown of a crop tree needs 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 m) of open space on at least 

 two sides. Trees touching the crown of crop trees are competitors. In 

 harvesting fuelwood these should be the first trees removed since they are 

 direct competitors. The trees to be removed in some stands may be as high 

 quality as the crop trees. But, they would be shaded out by crop trees in the 

 future and die anyway. Furthermore, the crop trees released will grow faster 

 and will regain some of the growth lost by removing competitors. 



Small understory trees are abundant in most pole stands. Their crowns are 

 lower than the crowns of larger trees so they are usually deprived of direct 

 sunlight. The larger understory trees may be cut for fuelwood. Their removal 

 will have little effect on the growth of crop trees but they are useful as 

 fuelwood supplies. 



After releasing the crop trees any remaining dead, dying, and deformed trees 

 which hinder development of the stand should also be harvested for fuelwood. 



CHRISTMAS TREE PRODUCTION 



The Christmas tree and wreath businesses are important sources of income for 

 many people in the Maine coastal zone. Christmas trees, brush for 

 decorations, and tips for wreaths are cut in natural stands and plantations 

 each fall. Reliable production and cost data by species and geographic region 

 within Maine are not available. 



The primary species used is balsam fir because of its strong fragrance, soft 

 dark-green foliage, good shape, and excellent needle-retention capacity. 



RESEARCH NEEDS 



The increasing demand for paper, paper products, and building materials, 

 relatively heavy recreational use, suburban development, and the high cost of 

 land ownership, results in the need for growing more and better quality trees 

 on less land while still considering wise environmental protection practices. 

 It is imperative that new, environmentally sound methods of shortening 

 rotations and raising tree quality be developed and used. 



The following is a list of basic silvicutural considerations and data gaps to 

 be investigated for the coastal zone: 



1. Acreages and land ownership patterns by forest type and intensity of 

 management practices should be determined. 



2. The effect of redistributing logging slash and removing above-ground 

 portions of the tree on nutrient levels. 



3. The environmental implications of spraying 2,4,5-T. Perhaps even 

 more important, the environmental impacts of spraying substitute 



19-25 



10-80 



