Northwest Timber Supply Dynamics

Northwest Timber Supply Dynamics

Timber supply has traditionally been thought of as the quantity of available forest acres under active management.  Wood flow capacity was then simply a matter of the number of acres times the annual production capacity per acre.  Factor one is the number of harvestable acres.  Factor two is the growth capacity of these acres.

Alternative silvicultural regimes have emerged as a third factor affecting timber supply.  This silviculture factor may be more significant than either of the first two factors.

Northwest Timber Dynamics Report This paper describes the results of a two-level analysis of Northwest Forests.  The first level defines the forest capacity in total acres and site growth capacity (Factors 1 and 2).  The second level presents the impact of alternative silvicultural approaches when applied to these acres (Factor 3).  The objective is to understand of the relative impacts of varying methods and goals of forest management on human, wildlife and ecosystem dynamics.