How to Make Timber Stand Improvements

Polaris RANGER partnered with Outdoor Life to cover the basics of timber-stand improvement techniques and the equipment needed. Timber stand improvement is an easy way to improve wildlife habitat and the value of your timber. The idea is to identify low-value trees and eliminate them. This allows more sunlight to hit the forest floor, which grows more deer food. Steps for timber stand improvements include:

1. Consult with a forester to ID low-vale trees
2. Cut down small trees less than 6 inches in diameter
3. On larger trees girdle them by making a continuous cut all the way around the trunk (the cut needs to be at least 1.5 inches deep, so as to sever the cambium layer of the tree
4. Use a spray bottle to apply the proper herbicide, tordon works well, to the girdling cut