Which trees to remove will depend upon landowner objectives.
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For timber production, undesirable species, poor-formed trees and slow-growing individuals are removed.
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Wildlife considerations may leave some of the poor-formed or cull trees to provide habitat. How much to thin will depend on objectives as well, but it must be enough trees for loggers to make a profit.
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A common mistake in thinning is to leave too many trees in the residual stand. Generally, 40 to 60 percent of the trees are harvested during a thinning.
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Several thinnings may take place before the stand reaches maturity.
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At final harvest, when pine trees have reached saw timber size, usually 80 to 100 trees per acre remain.
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