Forest Operations
Harvesting
Our harvesting methods vary widely in their application, type, and equipment used. Such factors ultimately determine our resulting timber volume, and are all decided based upon site-specific conditions that are established within the field. This includes slope, tree species composition, BEC zone classification, forest health issues, wildlife habitat values, designated old growth units, and community proximity/usage. All of these factors, and many more go into the decision making on how, where, and when a particular site is logged.
Sorted logs piled and ready to go. Each log sort is grouped by the species each mill is buying.
Cable Yarding – This harvesting method allows timber harvest on steep slopes. It also reduces the ground disturbance impact by transporting suspended logs via a winching system.
Methods
Each harvesting system is chosen based on it’s resulting impact on the landscape, an outcome that is entirely dependent on site-specific conditions. Using ecosystem-based management practices as our harvesting guidelines, we aim to best emulate the natural disturbance regime of that particular area so as to reduce our impact on both the timber and non-timber forest resources each site provides. For instance, clearcutting may be the best fitting harvesting system for tree species that are highly susceptible to wind-throw. This is because if there was a small amount of leave-trees leftover within the cutblock, that entire stand will fall within any given windstorm. While there are many more factors that play into this decision, such site conditions make clearcutting the best-fit. Leaving a small patch of wind-resistant trees will only increase their vulnerability within a windstorm.
Harvest Processor at work. This machine removes excess branches as well as cuts timber at an appropriate length once harvested. This machine will then sort logs based on species to be sent to the appropriate mill.
One of our local contractors. As a Community Forest, one of our main objectives is to provide local revenue to the Creston economy, and create employment for residents.