Clear-cutting or clean-cutting is the removal or felling of practically all live trees or shrubs usually six inches in diameter or greater. Larger stems could be left, but should not be numerous enough to shade any one area more than twenty percent of the day. Most stems smaller than six inches, in a mature stand, will not recover from the years of being over-topped. Small shade tolerant under story trees are often sunburned or succumb to winter freezing and thawing. This residual stand is often twisted and broken, giving the appearance of a mess. While not very pretty, this practice is sound forest management.

Environmentalists have often criticized clear-cutting for not only visual pollution, but also for soil erosion and destruction of wildlife habitat. Although clear-cut areas are unsightly for a time, research shows that properly done, clear-cutting does not cause erosion. Erosion can occur with improper road construction and log skidding on any harvesting operation. Proper technique on even the most erosion prone soil can avoid problems. The simple act of felling trees does not cause erosion or detract from water quality.

Clear-cutting does alter wildlife habitat by temporarily increasing the variety and seasonal availability of seed and insect foods available to a greater diversity of organisms than a mature stand. Wildlife biologists readily prescribe clear-cutting to enhance habitat for deer, rabbits, wild turkey, quail, and numerous non-game edge favoring species. Maintaining a certain habitat for an endangered species can in most cases involve clear-cuts of various sizes and shapes. Clear-cutting or even select cutting can however be detrimental to wildlife requiring large areas of undisturbed, healthy forest. Some of the songbirds that are declining in numbers require such areas.

Clear-cutting increases the amount of fresh water reaching the ground and also remaining in the upper water table. Large oaks can pump up to 500 gallons of water a day from saturated soils. Trees also intercept the first quarter inch of rain. Water production of a watershed can be increased by clear-cutting or decreased by encouraging a vigorously growing stand.

The growth rate of a stand is also the direct result of its efficiency in removing carbon dioxide from the air and converting it to wood. An acre of young, vigorously growing pines will remove as much as 5,000 pounds of carbon from the air in a year. Many mature, high graded stands remove less than 700 pounds of carbon a year on an acre basis. Much of North Carolina's woodland has been selectively harvested several times. Generally only the very best trees have been removed leaving the poorer quality, slower growing stems and species. These high graded stands should in most cases be clear-cut and allowed to naturally regenerate or be planted to quality tree species if the owner wishes to grow another commercial timber crop. In the past, forest fires, insects, diseases, or storms would "clear-cut" areas varying in size from 1/2 acre to thousands of acres. These areas will eventually follow a pattern leading full circle to the clear-cut. This may occur in a generation or in several hundred years.

Professional foresters are available to advise interested landowners or concerned individuals concerning proper management to achieve environmentally sound objectives. Free technical assistance can be obtained from our local Agricultural Extension office, County Ranger with the Division of Forest Resources, local Soil Conservation Service office or District Biologist with the Wildlife Resources Commission. A list of private consulting foresters working in your area can also be obtained from the above sources.

Revised 2/16/2006.