What is Forest Thinning?

Forest thinning is the removal of select trees from a forest, usually for health of the forest or for aesthetic reasons. In this process, we strategically cut and remove these selected trees while taking care to avoid damage to the rest of the forest.

Should I thin my forest?

The forests we’re hired to thin are most often on private property and near homes, where the homeowner wants to “clean up” their forest or support the growth of a favored type of tree – but there are more benefits. Forest thinning is done for:

• Forest fire prevention: A thick, untended forest will carry lots of dry and extra-flammable wood and brush. This increases the risk of a forest fire and the intensity of the fires that do start.
• Forest recreational purposes: Thinning can make it easier to walk in and build trails through your forest. It also makes it easier for adventurous kids to see their surroundings and identify their location.
  
• Forest health: Trees in a thick forest have more competition for both sunlight and nutrients from the soil. Thinning encourages the trees that you want most to be the ones that thrive.
  
• Attractiveness of the forest: Thinning your forest can give it an open feel that’s much more welcoming than a dark and tangled stand of trees

Choosing which trees to remove

Before the tree removal process begins, we determine and mark which trees to cut. The trees chosen for removal will often:

• Be dead
• Be dangerous
• Have bugs
• Drop high amounts of unwanted leaves or other debris
• Be less valuable
• Be visually unpleasing

Will thinning my forest make me money?

Don’t expect to make money from the wood removed during forest thinning. Costs are directly affected by the volume and accessibility of the trees, and both are usually too low in a forest thinning project to make money.

Forest Thinning with Snohomish Tree Co.

Reach out to us to go over questions and schedule a time for us to look at your project. We’ll come to the project site, discuss your goals, and give you an estimate! Snohomish Tree Co. looks forward to working with you.