Standards for Regeneration Establishment in Canada: A Case Study for Douglas-fir

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Abstract
Most stresses and hazards affecting plantation success occur during the initial establishment period. Ensuring that new stands are fully stocked with commercial species, growing acceptably, and not likely to be suppressed by brush or damaged by insects and animals, are the goals of regeneration silviculture. To focus silviculture efforts, the concept of the free to grow plantation has evolved. This paper discusses proposed criteria for setting quantifiable, biologically-based free-to-grow standards. A case study using Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesil (Mirb.) Franco) illustrates how free-to-grow standards could be developed. The process first requires identification of the factor or stress limiting growth. Then, free-to-growth standards are based on defining a threshold level of the factor for successful tree establishment and applying a projection technique to estimate whether the trees currently below the threshold are in danger of exceeding it.