“Forest Selection”™ salvage logging is our preferred method of logging and extracting dry timber from the bush. This type of logging is more expensive in terms of contractor costs, and less expensive in terms of costs to Mother Nature. Light footprint and single tree extraction reduces the impact to the environment while at the same time helping to regenerate a new healthier stand of timber. Selective logging promotes forest health through cleaning up from fire, wind throw (blow down), root rot, as well as controlling bug problems and other forest health issues. Selectively salvaging dead or dying trees that have been recovered from the forest reduces fire fuel load, as well as giving the leave trees (trees left behind) room to grow and rejuvenate into a healthier stand for future generations.

Low ground and low impact equipment is used to extract timber from the bush. Single line skidders, helicopters and horses are the most commonly used tools in this type of selection logging. Hand felling is employed in the woodland operations to minimize the impact to the environment and keep soil disturbance to a minimum.

Selective logging helps to control bug problems. The largest culprit that attacks Douglas Fir is the Fir Bark Beetle, a pest that enters through the bark of the tree, burrows to the cambium and deposits its eggs for the next year’s crop of beetles. Once the bug reaches the living cambium or inner core of the tree, it takes about one year for the tree to die. To stop the infestation from spreading, the affected tree must be removed from the bush prior to the next year’s hatching and flight.

This affected wood becomes a semi dry log that can be milled into beautiful timber limiting twisting and checking because of the drying that has already taken place while standing in the forest.

Another pest is the Mountain Pine Beetle. This insect attacks pine trees in much the same way as the Fir Beetle, killing the tree within one year. Controlling this bug is accomplished in the same way, removing the trees while they are under green attack or shortly after the trees are infested. The quality of the wood remains the same, and the only issue is the small pinholes in the sapwood and the blue stain that occurs after the tree dies and dries out. However, these aesthetic imperfections are removed while sawing the timber into lumber or cants.