Project Code:	BRL-01-045
Area:	Field Operations
Sponsor:	Blue Ridge Lumber (1981)

The primary purpose of this Project was the reduction of deciduous competition, thus assisting the coniferous crop trees to maintain "free-to-grow" status.

Objectives included the decrease of intra- and inter-specific competition, establishment of pre-determined densities and composition structure within each block, and the creation of an environment in which the crop trees can maintain "free-to- grow" status.

Over the 2002 field season, approximately 766.5 hectares were manually tended using brush saws. "All found" costs were $560.55 per hectare and overall quality over thirty-six blocks averaged 96.7 %.

Keywords
Manual – brush saw
Mechanical Tending
Weeding & Thinning
Density Management
Conifer Release
Blue Ridge Lumber