Harvest Standards
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 3–4
These rules apply to every harvest, whatever the treatment. The treatment pages add their own requirements on top.
Before cutting
Every harvest site must be prescribed in an approved management plan. There is no harvest standard without one.
Stumps and felled trees
| Rule | Standard |
|---|---|
| Stump height | Under 15 cm (6 in.), and below the lowest green limbs |
| When tree form prevents that, or the plan specifies otherwise | Cut as close to the ground as possible |
| Trees felled but not removed | Lay them as close to the ground as conditions allow, so they decompose faster |
| Leaning trees | Felled trees must not rest against, or be held up by, standing residual trees |
The stump rule is waived only for salvage of blown-down trees, where stem orientation makes it impractical (see Block Harvest › Specialty salvage).
Tops and branches
| Harvest type | What happens to foliage and branches |
|---|---|
| Block, patch and strip harvests | Leave them on site, or bring them back after the tree is processed |
| All other harvests | Whole-tree harvesting is acceptable |
Keeping tops and branches on heavily opened sites returns nutrients to the soil. It also fits with the minimum of 200 coarse woody debris pieces per hectare required on every harvest site (see Diversity Enhancement).
Ground conditions
Do not harvest or extract wood in conditions that would damage residual trees or cause erosion, rutting, soil compaction or puddled soils. What those terms mean, and how to plan around wet ground, is covered in Preventing Soil Compaction, Puddling and Rutting.
Biomass (chip) harvests
Sites harvested for biomass in chip form must also follow the Department’s Biomass Guidelines. The manual’s harvest section refers to these as Appendix 1; in the 2025 edition they appear as Appendix 2.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 3–4. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.