When attempting to establish a new generation of trees, forest owners face two fundamental tasks that can become increasingly tricky: seedling release and pre-commercial thinning.

Seedlings planted after harvest face steep competition for light, nutrients, water, and space from each other, from native understory plants, and from invasive species. As a young stand ages, the trees can begin to compete with one another for the same limited resources. Landowners have a number of options for reducing competition for resources: stand release, when the plantation is young, or pre-commercial thinning, as the plantation ages. 

NNRG is collaborating with Washington forest owners to test the effectiveness of different seedling release and pre-commercial thinning options. All projects were completed by the end of 2021, and treatment data is now being analyzed.

Click on the links below to see the latest information about each project.