Hiding cover is usually present. The period in the life of a forest stand from first merchantability to culmination of mean annual increment. Usually ages 40 to 100 years of age. During this period, stand diversity is minimal, except that conifer mortality rates and snag formation will be fairly rapid. Big game hiding and thermal cover is present.
Forage is minimal except in understocked stands.
The period in the life of a forest stand from culmination of mean annual increment to an old-growth stage or to 200 years. Conifer and hardwood growth gradually decline, and larger trees increase significantly in size. This is a time of gradually increasing stand diversity. Understory development increases in response to openings in the canopy from disease, insects, and windthrow. Vertical diversity increases.