Crown release increases growth of crop trees

Two Appalachian hardwood stands in north-central West Virginia were thinned.The primary species were red oak, yellow-poplar and chestnut oak.For both stands, the site index for northern red oak averaged 75 feet.An areawide thinning using "basal-area control" was applied to a 54-year-old stand, while specific crop trees were selected and released in a 12-year-old stand.Individual-tree 5:yeai growth of codominant trees was related to the number of sides of the crown that was free-to-grow.Codominant trees and crop trees grew about 25 percent faster in d.b.h.than similar trees released on one or two sides of the crown.For best diameter-growth response, a tree should be released on at least three and preferably four sides of the crown.