• FWPA
  • Report

Commercial model to assess pruning & thinning options in eucalypt plantations for appearance grade products

Go direct to:

Download report

Published Date

January 2009

User Guide – Commercial model to assess pruning & thinning options in eucalypt plantations for appearance grade products (TreeTOP Software).

TreeTOP is a generic stand growth model, which helps users decide when and whether Tree Thinning or Pruning (Tree T.o.P) is viable. The model is Microsoft Excel based, reasonably sophisticated in its thinning/pruning capabilities and easy to use, although it requires some knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Instructions for using the software are included in this guide.

The default functions and values approximate reasonable values based on silvicultural trials; however, TreeTOP should be calibrated with user data from stands with similar species, site and silviculture.

The user can change attributes, such as species inherent growth rate and competition tolerance, site quality, DBH distribution before and after thinning and product grade recoveries from different log sizes, and user has great flexibility and control over silviculture, within the framework of three thinnings (one non-commercial), two prunings and a 50-year rotation. Management costs and Log prices are specified directly for locally relevant markets. Short cut entry methods, slider controls and charts facilitate ‘what-if’ testing.

To download the software please click here.

Reference Number:
PN07.4023

Author

Rod Meynik

Related Reports