Spacing

Spacing is a silvicultural intervention that removes non-commercial timber from an immature stand resulting in improved access to sunlight, nutrients and water for target tree species.. 

As a density management activity, spacing maintains or improves tree health, and can increase both the growth and economic value of the marketable trees. Spacing can also increase stand diversity and structure to benefit stand health and increase the ecological and habitat values within a managed forest. As with other thinning activities, spacing can reduce forest fuel load to mitigate wildfire risk.

Spacing occurs before commercial thinning, a later intervention that removes marketable timber prior to a final harvest.

Learn more about spacing.

Spacing guidance

• Spacing Guidebook 
• Land Based Investment - Spacing Activity
• Spacing Training
• Forest Health Decision Keys Coastal (PDF, 263KB)
• Forest Health Decision Keys Interior (PDF, 189KB)
• Spacing to Increase Diversity Within Stands (PDF, 1.2MB)
• How to Use a Stand Density Management Diagram - Getting the Stand and Site Data (PDF, 461KB)
• How to Use a Stand Density Management Diagram - Yield Predictions for a Spacing Prescription (PDF, 320KB)
• Guidelines for Developing Stand Density Management Regimes (PDF, 320KB)