Midstory reduction treatments with a Woodgator T-5
Abstract
Many stands in the Southern U.S. have developed an increased amount of non-commercial midstory and understory components. Managers may not be able to prescribe burn these stands, due to smoke management concerns or risk of fire climbing into the crowns of the overstory trees. A variety of machines have been designed to mulch, shred, or chop standing vegetation to clear rights-of-way, prepare fire breaks, clean real estate tracts, and site prepare planting sites. These machines also can be used for mid-story reduction treatments as a substitute for prescribed fire.