Tongass National Forest

Timber Stand Improvement

Natural Regeneration

The National Forest Management Act requires the restocking of ground following timber harvesting. This is monitored through the use of regeneration stocking surveys in the fourth season following harvest. These surveys are usually accomplished by a seasonal work crew. In recent years, surveys have been done on areas ranging from 696 to 3,693 acres per year on POW Island.

Abundant natural regeneration occurs on around ninety-nine percent of acres harvested in Southeast Alaska with thousands of seedlings of hemlock, spruce and cedars "appearing" within five years of harvest. The regeneration is a combination of new recently fallen seed and seedling/saplings already available at time of harvest. Regeneration is so prolific that thinning is required on most acres at 15 to 25 years of age. (See Pre-commercial thinning).