Mechanical Fuels Treatment


Mechanical treatment is the treatment of forest fuels using machinery. Mechanical treatments can include a variety and/or combination of techniques including:

  • Aspen Enhancement: A treatment where all conifers within and occasionally surrounding an aspen stand are cut to maintain aspen stand health and growth.

  • Chipping: The process of reducing larger woody slash into smaller material that is generally three inches or smaller. material is generally brought to a chipping machine. Chips are then randomly scattered so as not to exceed approximately three inches in depth.

  • Clear Cut: A treatment that cuts all. the existing trees within a unit. This is generally used for tree species that grow in even-age stands, such as lodgepole pine.

  • Mulching: The process of reducing larger woody slash into finer material and mixing with soil. Material is generally mulched in place with equipment.

  • Patch Clear Cut: A small clear cut that ranges in size from two acres to a maximum of 20 acres.

  • Thin: A treatment where individual trees are cut to increase the spacing between the tree tops.

  • Thin from Below: A treatment that cuts smaller understory trees to increase distance between vegetation on the ground and the lowest branches of taller trees.