As trees grow older, they become more vulnerable to a combination of single events and ongoing environmental changes, such as storms, pests, diseases and drought.
The information below describes prevention strategies to lower the spread of pests and diseases, especially for older trees that may be more susceptible.
How to Manage a Multi-generational Forest
- Over the long-term, organize planting campaigns of all sizes to strive for a tapestry of trees of different ages and species. Uneven age and diverse species distribution is important for sustainability because it spreads out the timing and costs of all management activities – planting, maintenance, monitoring, removal, reuse, and replacement.
- Uneven-aged forest stands also help pace the delivery of ecosystem services, or tree benefits, to sustain a steady supply.
- Consider potential liability risks and compare costs and benefits of maintaining old trees and planting new trees. A newly-planted tree requires decades of growth before it can provide the same level of benefits as its elders.