Summary

The shelterwood method of regeneration is an even-aged silvicultural practice that involves a series of disturbances (harvests) that are timed to meet regeneration objectives of species desired. A ‘shelter’ of overstory trees remains to influence the regeneration process. Shelterwoods are flexible because the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground can be manipulated by the amount of canopy retained to meet the light tolerance of the desired regenerating species. The purpose of the shelterwood method is to culture larger size of advance reproduction prior to removal of the overstory. The partial sunlight provided by the shelterwood method favors development of oak advance reproduction while discouraging undesirable species.