Selection thinning is more appropriate for second and third thinnings or unthinned stands where trees are not so close together. Normally, the stand should be marked before thinning. Mark the trees to be removed with paint at two points, one at chest height for easy visibility and the other at the groundline as a check to insure that only marked trees are harvested. When marking trees for removal, take out the poorly formed, crooked, diseased and overtopped trees that would not produce sawtimber. An alternative is to let the logger select trees for removal.
Periodic inspections insure that the thinning is conducted as intended.
The best harvesting system for selection thinning should be compact and maneuverable. Labor intensive pulpwood operations, while acceptable especially for first thinnings, are becoming scarce in Georgia. Combination Thinning Combination thinning combines the row and selection thinning methods. Rows are removed to allow access to the interior of the stand where a selection thinning is conducted to remove the inferior quality trees. Removing every fifth or seventh row allows the equipment to enter the stand.