Skjærthinning

Skjærthinning is a term found in Nordic forestry literature describing a thinning practice aimed at improving stand growth and timber quality by selectively removing trees. The exact meaning of skjærthinning varies by country and management tradition, but it generally denotes an early or mid-rotation thinning that reduces stand density by removing certain individuals to release others.

Its goals include increasing the growth rate and form of remaining trees, enhancing bole quality, and shaping stand structure to better resist pests, wind, and drought. It is commonly integrated into broader silvicultural planning, with targets for spacing, diameter distribution, and rotation length.

Practitioners typically mark trees for removal based on competition status, vitality, health defects, form, and species composition, then conduct harvests using manual cutting, machinery, or other methods. The intensity of removal can range from light releases to substantial density reduction, depending on site conditions and management aims.

Outcomes often include faster diameter growth, improved timber quality, and more favorable light environments for residual trees. Potential drawbacks are soil disturbance, increased costs, and the risk of opening the stand too much if planning is inadequate. The term remains most common in Nordic contexts, and regional usage may differ.

Etymology: skjærthinning is thought to derive from Scandinavian roots related to cutting or shaping, reflecting the practice of cutting selected trees to shape the stand.

See also: thinning (silviculture), sanitation thinning, release, stand development.