Another common alternative is to let the logger select trees for removal. This could save money from the cost of marking. Remember, you or your representative should always closely monitor the thinning operation, especially in this situation. When marking trees for removal, take out the poorly formed, crooked, diseased and overtopped trees that would not produce sawtimber material if left in the stand. Typical examples of these types of trees are illustrated in Figure 5.
Selection thinning with the wrong equipment or in the wrong way can be disastrous to the stand.
The landowner should be aware of two situations that may occur during the thinning harvest. Trees can be scarred by equipment, leaving them open to infection and insect damage, or the soil could become compacted from heavy use or operating equipment in wet conditions. The type of equipment used and the capability of the men harvesting the tract will often determine whether these problems occur. A common set of harvesting equipment for thinning is compact and light-weight. Labor intensive pulpwood operations are becoming scare.