Radiata pine planted too closely together grows tall and spindly while wide spacing encourages branch growth and land may be under-utilised. Somewhere in between is an optimum final crop stand density that allows forest owners and growers to maximise the volume and value of the logs produced.

Scion scientists have recently looked at the factors that affect the optimum final crop stand density and how this can vary across New Zealand.

Read about predicting optimal stand density in NZ plantations.

Check out the original paper.

Watt, M S, Kimberley, M O, Dash, J P & Harrison, D (2017). Spatial prediction of optimal stand density for even-age plantation forests using productivity indices. Canadian Journal of Forestry Research, 47: 527–535 dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2016-0220