In the
Field
Our foresters direct every
aspect of land selection, preparation, and field-planting. They order soil tests and recommend adjustments
to the soil chemistry if necessary. They choose the planting locations for each species,
based on such factors as slopes, sun, moisture and soil types. They direct the
preparations for planting, including the cutting of the tall pasture grasses to make way
for the little trees.
All of the flat areas of the
farms that had been compacted by cattle have been carefully disked or plowed as needed to
loosen the soil for better root development of the new trees.
For each species, our foresters
have prescribed a specific initial spacing or distance between the trees based upon the
growth characteristics for that species. They chose this initial spacing so that the
little trees are planted close enough together to force them to grow straight and tall as
they compete for sunlight, but far enough apart for them to still achieve the best
diameter growth.
The first year after a tree is
moved from the nursery to the field is its most vulnerable. During this first year,
our foresters periodically inspect the trees and any tree not growing properly is promptly
replaced.
After the first year, our
foresters continue to monitor the trees and supervise their care. Our workers remove
unwanted vegetation to eliminate competition for the trees. They control any pests and
prune the trees to improve their form. This care and monitoring continues for the life of
each tree.
Our planting, spacing, care and
harvest programs vary from species to species, depending upon their growth, form
characteristics and silvicultural needs. Our foresters have defined these programs to
achieve the best possible growth pattern for the trees and the maximum profits from all of
the harvests.
We plant our teak trees for
example at a 3 meter x 3 meter spacing, or approximately 400 trees per
acre.
Many other plantations, to save
land and money, plant their teak trees closer together, often at a 2
meter x 2 meter or 2.5 meter x 2.5 meter spacing. A 2.5 meter x 2.5
meter spacing for example is about 640 trees per acre, more than 50% more
trees crowded into the same area. Planting at that reduced spacing requires a much earlier
removal of about 50% of the trees, at about 4 years, before they are old
enough to produce any wood.
All of our practices at
Tropical American Tree Farms are determined by how best to maximize our lumber
production and quality.
next page - When to Harvest |
