Are red spruce stands in Nova Scotia being harvested before they mature?
Red spruce, young or old, is the preferred species in many jurisdictions because of its strength characteristics as a building material. Many of the answers to this question are similar to those previous questions that pertains to landowner objectives, land tenure and site specific species. If we accept that the ultimate management decision rests with the landowner and if that landowner is allowed to productively manage only a limited piece of ground and wishes to maximize his production, then he/she may well want to harvest his crop as it is beginning to slow down in growth – i.e. At 60 to 80 years of age. Stands exist in areas such as those at St. Margaret’s Bay, where the red spruce reproduction is so plentiful that it requires thinning at an early age to grow to its’ maximum potential. These are areas that regenerate naturally in red spruce all with an even-aged stand structure and ready to provide a product ready for harvest within a reasonable time frame. Many markets today that
