Managing Mature, Even-aged Stands

Foresters generally consider central hardwood stands mature when they are 80 to 100 years old or have reached a specified rotation age. However, by the time stands are 50 to 60 years old and in the large pole/small sawtimber size, they have generally slowed in height growth, their annual basal area growth has leveled off, and except for size, they have many of the characteristics of older stands. Although most central hardwoods are long lived and some can be grown on very long rotations, they generally reach economic maturity at the recommended rotation ages in table 1. At these ages annual volume growth levels off and may even decline, and the trees no longer earn even a moderate rate of interest. There are basically two options for managing such stands.