Silvicultural alternatives in an uneven-sized forest dominated by Picea abies

In this article, we report on the increments in basal area and tree diameter as well as the structural development observed in variously thinned plots that underwent either uneven- or even-sized treatment. The experimental forest was originally an uneven-sized mixed stand dominated by Picea abies. Twenty-eight randomized sample plots underwent each treatment, and the trees were monitored for 15 growing seasons after thinning. The uneven-sized plots retained a reverse J-shaped diameter distribution, but this was changed into a bell shape by low thinning in the even-sized plots. Absolute basal area increment was positively correlated with basal area in the even-sized treatment but not in the uneven-sized treatment. In the latter, all of the plots grew almost equally well, and only the basal area of broadleaves explained slightly positively the increment variation. Relative basal area increment was negatively correlated with basal area in both treatments. Additionally, the basal area of Scots pine was a positive explanatory variable in the relative increment variation in the even-sized treatment. For the dominant Norway spruce trees, diameter increment was negatively correlated with basal area in both treatments and, conversely, heavy removal increased the diameter increment. Relative basal area increment averaged 5% annually in uneven-sized plots representing the “target selection.” This was more than double the increment observed for the even-sized plots that represented the “prevailing practice.” Likewise, the diameter increment of Norway spruce trees was 48% greater in the uneven-sized compared to the even-sized plots.     

抚育间伐对杉木人工林生长及出材量的影响

间伐对人工林生长及木材质量具有重要影响。在浙江开化开展了间伐强度（强度、中度和对照）和间伐方式（间伐1次,间伐2次）对杉木人工林生长及出材量等的影响研究,第1试验区大径材培育林分在第7年和第14年进行了2次间伐,第2试验区中径材培育林分仅在第12年时进行1次间伐。结果表明：22年生大径材培育林分和19年生中径材培育林分不同间伐处理之间树高、总断面积的差异均不显著。间伐显著增加了林木胸径的生长,大径材培育林分强度和中度间伐处理的平均胸径分别比对照增加13.78%和9.69%,中径材培育林分强度和中度间伐处理的平均胸径分别比对照增加12.28%和7.02%。间伐显著促进了林木单株材积的增加,2组试验林分活立木材积随着间伐强度的增加而降低,第1试验区22年生林分不同间伐强度之间活立木材积的差异不显著（P>0.05）,第2试验区强度间伐活立木材积显著低于对照（P<0.05）,中度间伐林分活立木材积与对照和强度间伐之间的差异不显著（P>0.05）。2组试验林分总蓄积和出材量也随着间伐强度的增加而降低,二者在3种间伐处理之间均没有显著差异（P>0.05）。间伐强度不能有效增加林分活立木材积和林分出材量,间伐次数对林分出材量及出材规格有重要影响。试验区杉木大径材培育以2次间伐,总间伐强度50%左右较为适宜,而中径材培育则以1次中度间伐（约25%）为宜。     

Pre-commercial thinning effects on growth, yield and mortality in even-aged paper birch stands in British Columbia

The aim of this study was to quantify 5-year growth, yield and mortality responses of 9- to 13-year-old naturally regenerated, even-aged paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) stands to pre-commercial thinning in interior British Columbia. The study included four residual densities (9902–21,807 stems ha⁻¹ (unthinned control), 3000, 1000 and 400 stems ha⁻¹) and four sites with 3-fold within-site replication in a randomised block design. The largest, straightest, undamaged trees were selected to leave during thinning. Thinning reduced stand basal area from 5.90 m² ha⁻¹ in the control to 2.50, 1.53 and 0.85 m² ha⁻¹ in the three thinning treatments, representing 42, 26 and 15% of control basal area, respectively. After 5 years, total stand volume per plot remained lower in the three thinning treatments than the control (50.20, 30.07, 18.99 and 11.86 m³ in the control, 3000, 1000 and 400 stems ha⁻¹ treatments), whereas mean stand diameter, diameter increment, height, and height increment were increased by thinning, and top height (tallest 100 trees ha⁻¹) was unaffected. When a select group of crop trees (largest 250 trees ha⁻¹) in the thinning treatments was compared with the equivalent group in the control, there was a significant increase in mean diameter, diameter increment, basal area, basal area increment, and volume increment. Mean height, height increment, top height, and total volume were unaffected by thinning. Crop tree diameter increment was the greatest following thinning to 400 stems ha⁻¹ for all diameter classes. Thinning to 1000 stems ha⁻¹ resulted in lower diameter increment than thinning to 400 stems ha⁻¹ but tended to have higher volume increment. Dominant trees responded similarly to subdominant trees at 400 stems ha⁻¹, but showed the greatest response at 3000 stems ha⁻¹. Results suggest that pre-commercial thinning of 9–13-year-old stands to 1000 stems ha⁻¹ would improve growth of individual trees without seriously under-utilising site resources.     

抚育间伐对辽东山区3种林型林分总断面积和总收获量的影响

利用几十年的定位观测数据,分析了抚育间伐对辽东山区红松人工林、天然次生蒙古栎林和人工诱导的阔叶红松林3种林型林分总断面积和总收获量的影响。结果表明:与对照区相比,抚育间伐没有提高红松人工林的林分断面积和蓄积总生长量,但极强度和强度间伐能提高红松人工林的林分断面积生长率。林分总断面积随着间伐强度的增加先升高后降低,各间伐强度均能提高林分总断面积,极强度间伐除外。抚育间伐能提高红松人工林林分蓄积生长率,弱度区除外;红松人工林林分总收获量随着间伐强度的增加先升高后降低,各间伐强度均能提高林分总收获量,中度间伐效果最好。抚育间伐能提高蒙古栎林林分断面积和蓄积总生长量、生长率以及林分总断面积和总收获量,各指标随着间伐强度的增加先升高后降低,中度间伐效果最好。抚育间伐能提高人工诱导的阔叶红松林林分断面积和蓄积总生长量、生长率以及林分总断面积和总收获量,林分断面积和蓄积总生长量、林分总断面积和林分总收获量随着间伐强度的增加而升高,林分断面积和蓄积生长率随着间伐强度的增加先升高后略有降低,强度间伐效果最好。可见,合理的间伐强度能够提高3种林型的林分总断面积和总收获量。     

抚育间伐对人工红松林生长效应的影响

利用不同间伐强度后40 a的人工红松林,连续抚育3次的长期定位观测资料,分析了抚育间伐对人工红松单木胸径和材积、林分断面积和蓄积、林分枯损和总收获量的影响。研究结果表明:间伐可以增加单木平均胸径和材积的生长率,且不同间伐强度表现为相同的规律,即中度(33.2%)强度(43.4%)弱度(23.1%)对照(0.0%);间伐后林分的断面积和蓄积生长率,具有相似的自然规律,间伐样地的生长率均高于对照;林木枯损率随间伐强度的增加而降低;间伐后的林分总收获量平均增加11.6%,间伐林分之间差别不明显。在整个研究阶段,不同的抚育阶段表现不同的规律,抚育间伐可以延缓单木胸径和材积生长速度的降幅;而不同抚育阶段内,林分断面积和蓄积生长率均为增长,也就是说,在一定阶段内间伐可以有效地提高林分平均断面积和蓄积生长率;从林分枯损状况来看,应该减少间伐间隔期。     

Effect of half-systematic and systematic thinning on the increment of Scots pine and Norway spruce in Finland

Diameter, height and volume increment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestrisL.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands wereinvestigated in long-term thinning experiments in southern Finland.The measurement period was on average 19 years, and thinningsconsisted of five different treatments: (1) unthinned; (2) selectivethinning from below where thinning intensity was determinedaccording to the number of stems; (3) selective thinning frombelow where thinning intensity was determined according to standbasal area; (4) systematic thinning where corridors were openedat regular intervals in the stand; and (5) half-systematic thinningwhere corridors were opened at regular intervals and the remainingstrips thinned from below, i.e. a combination of selective andsystematic thinning. The selective (basal area) thinning ofScots pine resulted in a volume growth reduction of about 12per cent, but in Norway spruce it resulted in no marked reductioncompared with the unthinned plots. In both tree species, volumeincrement in the half-systematic and selective (basal area)thinning differed only slightly from each other. The systematicthinning resulted in the lowest volume increment. In the systematicthinning, the total yield (m³ ha^–1) somewhat decreasedwith increasing corridor width. In half-systematic thinning,on the other hand, the total yield was not clearly related tocorridor width. A corridor accelerated the diameter incrementof the edge trees. The edge effect progressively diminishedwhen moving deeper into the strip and ended at a distance ofabout 3–4 m from the corridor edge. After the thinning,the height increment first decreased, but later on it recovered.The unthinned plots had more dead trees than the other treatments,but there were no significant differences between the othertreatments. It can be concluded that the prevailing thinningmethod in the Nordic countries, i.e. half-systematic thinning,most probably results in no significant growth and yield losses.     

Impacts of thinning on structure,growth and risk of crown fire in a Pinus sylvestris L. plantation in northern Spain

We studied the combined effects of thinning on stand structure, growth, and fire risk for a Scots pine thinning trial in northern Spain 4 years following treatment. The thinning treatments were: no thinning, heavy thinning (32–46% of basal area removed) and very heavy thinning (51–57% of basal area removed). Thinning was achieved via a combination of systematic and selective methods by removing every seventh row of trees and then by cutting suppressed and subdominant trees in the remaining rows (i.e., thinning from below). Four years after thinning, mean values and probability density distributions of stand structural indices showed that the heavier the thinning, the stronger the tendency towards random tree spatial positions. Height and diameter differentiation were initially low for these plantations and decreased after the 4-year period in both control and thinned plots. Mark variograms indicated low spatial autocorrelation in tree diameters at short distances. Diameter increment was significantly correlated with the inter-tree competition indices, and also with the mean directional stand structural index. Two mixed models were proposed for estimating diameter increment using a spatial index based on basal area of larger trees (BALMOD) in one model versus spatial competition index by Bella in the other model. As well, a model to estimate canopy bulk density (CBD) was developed, as this variable is important for fire risk assessment. Both heavy and very heavy thinning resulted in a decrease of crown fire risk over no thinning, because of the reduction in CBD. However, thinning had no effect on the height to crown base and thus on the flame length for torching. Overall, although thinning did not increase size differentiation between trees in the short term, the increase in diameter increment following thinning and the reduction of crown fire risks support the use of thinning. Also, thinning is a necessary first step towards converting Scots pine plantations to more natural mixed broadleaved woodlands. In particular, the very heavy thinning treatment could be considered a first step towards conversion of overstocked stands.     

Effects of thinning intensity on species diversity and timber production in a conifer (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation in Japan

In conifer plantations, enhancement of species diversity has become an important management goal. Although thinning is a useful method to enhance diversity, determining optimum thinning intensities may be rather complicated because of potential trade-offs among a broad array of management goals (e.g., recovery of biodiversity, increasing individual tree sizes, increasing net primary production, saving management costs). To evaluate the optimum thinning intensity by analyzing these relationships, we conducted a thinning experiment with three different thinning intensities—unthinned, 33% thinned, and 67% thinned—in a Cryptomeria japonica plantation in 2003, and investigated the number, diameter at breast height (DBH), and diversity of hardwoods (height?>?1.5?m) in 2008, and the growth of conifers over five?years. In hardwoods, the number of individuals, number of species, mean DBH, and total basal area were greatest in the 67% thinned treatment, irrespective of successional status. However, Shannon’s diversity index did not differ among the three treatments due to a disproportionate increase with thinning intensity in the abundance of a mid-successional species, Cornus controversa. Diameter growth of conifers was also highest in the 67% thinned and lowest in the unthinned treatment, whereas the reverse was true for stand volume increment. These results suggest that intensive thinning is a reliable method to convert conifer plantations into conifer–hardwood mixed forests at canopy level much more quickly and consistently than weak thinning, although primary production is to some extent reduced. If forest managers prefer sustainable timber production of conifers rather than full recovery of diversity, weak thinning may be suitable.     

Growth and structure development of semi-natural larch-spruce-fir (Larix olgensis–Picea jezoensis–Abies nephrolepis) forests in northeast China: 12-year results after thinning

Analyzing and understanding the structure and growth dynamics of semi-natural plantations is useful for their management. Since 1987, 16 plots with 4 treatments (CT: control; LT: light thinning; MT: medium thinning; and HT: heavy thinning) by 0, 20, 30 and 40% of basal area removal, respectively, and four replications were established in semi-natural larch-spruce-fir forests in northeast China. The structure and growth dynamics of semi-natural larch-spruce-fir stands and the effects of thinning on the growth, structure and diversity were examined. A mixed model repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) was used to test the effects of treatment and time.

Results showed that differences in periodic annual increment (PAI) of stand basal area and volume and the individual diameter and volume among treatments changed over time in a complex statistical interaction. Thinning, however, had a significant effect on growth at tree and stand levels 12 years after thinning while the PAI of the diameter, basal area and volume was positively correlated with thinning intensity. No significant differences were found in the total stand yield among treatments. Composition of tree species group (larch, other conifers and deciduous trees) during monitoring years did not change significantly. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in tree species and size diversity among treatments in the years following thinning. Both thinning and control plots had similar understory plant diversity after the 12 year period. Univariate point pattern analysis revealed that clumped and random distributions were dominant for tree species groups in this study. The current species composition and regeneration dynamics within these semi-natural plantations suggested a development towards mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. Management implications for the transformation from larch plantations towards mixed broad-leaved Korean forests with a more diverse structure, the climax vegetation in this region, were discussed.     

Conversion of clearcut beech coppices into high forests with continuous cover: A case study in central Italy

Converting coppices into high forests with continuous cover has often been established during the last decades as a management goal in hilly and mountainous Mediterranean areas to attenuate the negative effects that frequent clearcutting may have on soil, landscape and biodiversity conservation. The silvicultural tool usually adopted for this purpose is the gradual thinning of sprouts during the long span of time required to complete the conversion, that also allows the owner to keep harvesting some wood. This research compared the effects of various thinning intensities (three treatments plus control) on the stand growth and structure of a beech coppice with standards. The optimal density after thinning was assessed by expressing mean tree spacing as a function of main stand attributes like stand height and stand dbh. This system was preferred to the empirical evaluation of the percentage of basal area to be removed in order to give forest managers general reference guidelines to adapt to the varying environments of the Mediterranean mountains. Results confirmed that the positive effects of thinning on mean stem volume is due more to the higher diameter increment than to different height growth. The acceleration of crown growth in the thinned plots allowed canopy closure to be achieved 13 years after thinning. This reduced the negative effects of the opening of the stand overlayer and the elimination of most suppressed trees on soil protection. Under the conditions examined, the best thinning intensity proved to be a stand density 20% lower than normal prescribed by the yield tables elaborated for beech high forests in Central and Southern Italy.     

不同立地及间伐强度对杉木人工林生长的影响

为探明不同立地及间伐强度对杉木人工林生长影响,在浙江庆元林场3个林区分别开展了不同间伐强度(10%～15%、16%～30%、31%～40%)对杉木（隆宫林区杉木19年生,卢峰和白领头两个林区20年生）人工林生长影响的研究。结果表明：间伐3 a后,隆宫和卢峰林区胸径、单株材积都随间伐强度加大而增加,3个林区16%～30%和31%～40%间伐强度胸径平均连年生长量、单株材积平均连年生长量都要显著高于10%～15%间伐强度,而16%～30%和31%～40%间伐强度之间差异不显著,相同林区不同间伐强度的树高平均连年生长量差异都不显著,3个林区31%～40%间伐强度的平均林分蓄积都较小,隆宫和白领头林区不同间伐强度的林分蓄积平均连年生长量之间都存在显著差异,卢峰林区16%～30%和31%～40%间伐强度林分蓄积平均连年生长量之间差异不显著,但都显著高于10%～15%间伐强度。本研究通过综合林分因子分析得出隆宫和白领头林区的最佳间伐强度16%～30%,而卢峰林区的最佳间伐强度为31%～40%。     

红松人工林不同间伐强度效果分析

对不同间伐强度红松人工林的林分生长状况,林下植被生物多样性以及林下土壤的养分状况进行调查研究。结果表明:极强度间伐、强度间伐能有效提高林分直径生长量,增加大径材的出材量,缩短培育大径材的时间,及早达到木材采伐标准。但间伐强度过大影响整个林分的蓄积量。强度间伐有效提高林下植被的丰富度指数和多样性指数,植被状况良好。极强度间伐区土壤的养分状况最好,维持较高的土壤肥力。间伐有利于红松人工林地的可持续利用。     

Effects of selective thinning on growth and development of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest stands in south-eastern Slovenia

We studied the effects of two types of selective thinning on beech stands formed by a shelterwood cut in 1910 — with lower number of crop trees and higher thinning intensity (T1) and higher number of crop trees with lower thinning intensity (T2). The stands were thinned in 1980, 1991 and 2001. Despite a lower stand density after thinning, the annual basal area increments of thinned stands in both thinning periods (1980–1991 and 1991–2002) were around 20% higher compared to those of the control (unthinned) stands. The mean annual basal area increment of dominant trees was 30–56% larger in the thinned plots compared to the control plots. Of 176 initial crop trees in the T1, 72% were chosen again during the last thinning. In the T2, 258 crop trees were chosen in the first thinning, and only 62% of these trees were chosen again during the last thinning. Only crown suppression and diameter classes of crop trees significantly influenced their basal area increment when diameter classes, crown size, crown suppression, and social status were tested. In the thinned stands, the dominant trees are more uniformly distributed if compared to the dominant trees in the control plots. Finally, the herbaceous cover and the species diversity were higher in the thinned plots.     

Effect of thinning intensity on tree growth and temporal variation of seed and cone production in a Pinus koraiensis plantation

Thinning of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) is used to facilitate timber and cone production. The present study in Northeast China investigated the effects of thinning intensity on individual tree growth, temporal variation in cone yield, and seed quality in Korean pine plantation. In 2005, five thinning intensity levels (none, extreme, heavy, moderate and light) were set in 15 permanent plots in a 32-year-old Korean pine plantation at Mengjiagang Forest Farm, Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province. We recorded tree growth and seed cone production from 2013 to 2016, i.e., from 8 to 11 years after thinning. Except for height growth, thinning increased tree growth (diameter at breast height and crown size) and improved cone yield. The extreme thinning treatment (to 300 trees per hectare) resulted in the largest tree diameter, tree volume, crown size and 4-year cone production per tree. The highest cone yield per tree in the mast year (2014) was observed when stands were thinned to 500 trees per hectare (heavy thinning). Although the best cone and seed quality and the largest cone and seed mass per tree were recorded in the heavily thinned stand, no significant differences were found between heavy and moderate thinning stands (750 trees per hectare). At the stand level, the moderately thinned stand had the highest basal area, stock volume and seed cone production per stand. Our results suggest that thinning to 750 trees per hectare will improve timber and cone productivity in 40-year-old P. koraiensis stands.     

4年生尾叶桉间伐效果

对4年生尾叶桉林分进行不同强度间伐,2a后的调查结果表明：间伐对林分平均胸径影响达显著水平;对树高生长有促进作用,但差异不显著;对单株材积生长的影响差异极显著。间伐强度越大,单株材积增长量越大。3种间伐处理的林分蓄积年增长量差异显著。根据总蓄积量和间伐后林分蓄积年生长量的变化,本试验以间伐强度60%为最佳处理。     

抚育间伐对人工落叶松断面积和蓄积生长的影响

以汪清林业局的20块人工落叶松为例,对间伐林分的断面积和蓄积进行生长趋势分析,用普雷斯勒公式计算林分的平均生长率,分析不同间伐强度对林分断面积和蓄积的影响,结果表明:间伐林分在间伐初期的断面积和蓄积小于未间伐林分,但随着林龄的增大,间伐林分断面积和蓄积向未间伐林分渐近;间伐强度越大,年平均生长率越大;方差分析表明,不同的间伐强度对林分断面积和蓄积生长的影响差异显著。     

火炬松人工林抚育间伐效果的研究

对广东省英德县桥头镇低丘台地上，初植密度为１２３０株／ｈｍ＾２的７年生火炬松人工林进行了不同间伐强度的试验，间伐２年后的结果表明：不同间伐强度对火炬松人工林的胞径、树高、单株材积和单位面积蓄积量均有显著影响，对单位面积积蓄积总量则无显著影响。     

天保工程区日本落叶松人工商品林不同间伐效果分析

天保工程实施以来,工程区停止一切商品性采伐,2004年随着抚育间伐的启动,总结抚育间伐试验,进行人工商品林抚育间伐以Pn=33%的机械间伐强度为最好,不仅能提高林分平均直径生长量、林分的生长率、单位面积的蓄积量,还能提高生态防护效能。是1种较好的间伐方法。     

Growth reaction patterns of tree height,diameter, and volume of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) under acute drought stress in Southern Germany

Climate change in Central Europe may come along with acute drought stress, which can severely reduce growth and vitality of forest trees and whole stands. For a tree species such as Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) which is cultivated far beyond its natural range in Europe, knowledge of its behaviour under stress is crucial for the cultivation of Douglas-fir in view of a changing climate. Because of its easy accessibility, growth response to stress was mainly studied based on diameter growth at breast height. In long-term experiments on one dry and one moist site in Southern Germany, stem analyses of 133 mature and even-aged Douglas-firs were performed. The short-term growth reaction pattern under acute drought stress of 2003 had not only consequences on diameter but more pronounced effects can be observed when studying tree height: Respecting the different age trends by previous detrending, height increment only reacted more sensitive on the dry site. We also showed that extrapolating a particular decline in basal area increment to the whole stem can result in misunderstandings. However, results were less biased, when original data were smoothed or short-term assessment of volume growth was based on basal area measurements. By means of a linear mixed model approach, the influence of site, tree, and stand characteristics on Lloret’s indices of resistance and resilience (Lloret et al. in Oikos 120:1909–1920. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.19372.x, 2011) were analysed. For Douglas-fir, site played a crucial role and became more important considering the age trend. On the contrary, the positive influence of site quality on drought tolerance decreased with data processing. However, more growing space by thinning can advance tree resistance and resilience regarding height, diameter, and volume growth. Large individual crown volume improved the growth pattern under drought, and large stand density impaired it. Douglas-fir is obviously equipped with a morphological variability, which fosters lateral rather than vertical growth allocation under severe stress. Silviculture can mitigate stress through the choice of the site and through lower stand densities by thinning. Our refined stress response analysis confirmed a favourable growth and resilience of Douglas-fir even under extreme drought events.     

Modelling the impacts of various thinning intensities on tree growth and survival in a mixed species eucalypt forest in central Gippsland,Victoria, Australia

The response of tree survival and diameter growth to thinning treatments was examined over 29 years, in various thinning treatments established in a 21-year-old even-aged mixed species regenerating forest in Victoria, Australia. The treatments were control, crown release, strip thinning and three different intensities of thinning from below (light, moderate, and heavy). Each treatment was replicated three times in a complete randomised design. Logistic and multilevel regression analyses showed that tree survival, growth and thinning response (change of tree growth due to a thinning treatment) were functions of tree species, size, age, removed and remaining competition, as well as time since the treatment. Mean annual tree diameter growth in unthinned stands was highest for Eucalyptus sieberi L. Johnson (1.9 mm) followed by Eucalyptus baxteri (Benth.) Maiden & Blakely ex J. Black (1.6 mm), and lowest for both Eucalyptus consideniana (Maiden) and Eucalyptus radiata (Sieber ex DC) combined (0.7 mm). Diameter growth increased with tree size for both E. sieberi and E. baxteri, but not for E. consideniana and E. radiata. Smaller trees were more likely to die due to shading and suppression than their larger counterparts. A mortality model suggested, however, that both shading and suppression had very little effect on trees in both E. consideniana and E. radiata species, which were less likely to die compared to trees in the other species. This result indicates that both E. consideniana and E. radiata species may be relatively shade tolerant compared with the other species. Total thinning response was a sum of positive (increased growing space) and negative (thinning stress) effects. Following thinning, smaller trees showed signs of thinning stress for the first one or two years, after which the highest percentage thinning response was observed. While larger trees were initially less responsive to thinning, the rate of decrease in the response for subsequent years was greater in smaller trees than larger ones. The average amount of thinning response showed similar trends to diameter growth increasing from E. sieberi (1.7 mm) through E. baxteri (0.6 mm) to both E. consideniana and E. radiata (0.5 mm). This translates into low average percentage thinning response in E. baxteri (34%), twice as much in both E. consideniana and E. radiata (69%) and highest overall percentage response in E. sieberi (87%). Thinning response and the duration of this response appeared to increase with thinning intensity and was still evident 29 years after thinning. Heavy thinning did, however, reduce the number of trees to a severely under-stocked condition, which prohibited optimum site occupancy, requiring 29 years of post-thinning development for the heavily thinned stands to regain their pre-thinning stand basal area.