Pre-commercial Hardwood Thinning
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 15–16
What it is
Pre-commercial hardwood thinning spaces out a naturally regenerated stand at the sapling stage, when stand height is 4–8 m. The result is a hardwood stand of healthy, vigorous trees able to speed up their growth, with at least 15% softwood in the mix. The trees cut are normally too small to sell.
Eligibility
| Test | Standard |
|---|---|
| Residual species | Sugar maple, red maple on upland sites, yellow birch, red oak, white ash, black ash, white birch, white pine, or other high-quality species with crop-tree potential |
| Starting density | More than 4,000 stems/ha |
| Dominant height | 4–8 m; other stands may be considered case by case by the Department |
| Caution | Take care with species prone to epicormic branching |
For stem counts, a stem is any tree taller than 1.3 m.
Standards and assessment
| Measure | Standard |
|---|---|
| Residual density by species | Must meet the species-specific standards in the Prince Edward Island Forestry Handbook (available from your local PEI Forests, Fish and Wildlife office) |
| Post-treatment density | 1,600–2,500 stems/ha, evenly distributed |
| Softwood component | Where present, 15–30% of residual density should be good-quality softwood |
| Crop trees | At least 40% live crown; good health and form |
| Untreated areas | Up to 10% of the area may be left as it was; these patches still count toward the treatment area for incentive calculation |
| Felled trees | Laid as close to the ground as possible |
Wildlife trees. A large-crowned tree that crowds better-quality trees or desired species can be girdled instead of felled, turning it into a wildlife tree.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 15–16. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.