CONCLUSIONS
Since you have decided to do this course, you already realize that the decision to harvest on your woodlot should not be taken lightly. A lot of thought is required to decide where, how much, and how to harvest.
Where and how much to harvest depends heavily on your goals for your woodlot. for example, how much income do you want versus how much forest you want to leave untouched for other reasons. However, your goals should be realistic for your woodlot.
How you harvest - that is, which system (s) you choose - depends more on stand conditions than your goals. For instance, a sheltered stand with lots of long-lived, shade tolerant species is more suited to shelterwood or selection cutting than clearcutting, but gives you several options. In contrast, a stand with old, unhealthy balsam fir or shade intolerant aspen is a better candidate for clearcutting.
Species makeup, age, shade tolerance, health, and windfirmness of a stand greatly influence your choice of harvesting system. You have to work with what you have. In cases where there are several good options, let your goals and objectives for your woodlot guide you.
Do not limit yourself to the options presented in this module. There are many variations of the systems discussed - only the most common options are covered in this manual.
Every situation is different. Be creative, but no matter which system you choose, harvesting must be done in a way to ensure that the forest is reproduced to desirable species and that values important to you and society will not be negatively affected.
When you are not sure how to harvest, get advice. Your local Natural Resources office is a good place to start. Happy harvesting!