What is the Silviculture Program?
Silviculture is the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the multitude of purposes and values of landowners and society on a sustainable basis.
The Silviculture Program encompasses:
- Ecological Classification System (ECS)
- forest health
- soil science
- hydrology
- riparian science
- habitat management for the game and nongame wildlife
- biological diversity
- biological legacy
- harvesting
Program goal
To make available and use all the forest management science, expertise, experience, and tools to apply practices on the land that will meet multiple objectives while addressing forest health and productivity in a sustainable manner.
Program philosophies & directions
- regenerate adequately all harvested state lands to meet statutory mandates and regeneration standards
- regenerate state lands to meet SFRMP goals
- use ECS classifications and NPC silviculture strategies to help make regeneration decisions
- provide adequate supervision for all regeneration projects
- use herbicides primarily to prevent mortality (site preparation and release)
- favor site preparation over the release
- conduct all necessary and prescribed regeneration surveys to monitor our investments and make timely decisions so regeneration standards can be achieved.