Do a Woodlot Improvement Cut

Do you think your woods could benefit from a woodlot improvement cut, also known as a Timber Stand Improvement, TSI, or non-commercial thin? Does your management plan require you to do a “non-commercial thin” in one or more of your woodlot’s stands? Do you need some help with this? That's what this how-to document is all about.

For landowners with woodlots inside the New York City Watershed, cost-share funding is available for improvement cuts. Use this application to apply for this competitive grant program.

Use this map from the DEC to determine which region your land is in.

NYS Cooperating Foresters are those listed with the states Department of Environmental Conservation. This statewide list shows where foresters work by numbered regions. Use the link below to determine which region your land is in.

Watershed Qualified Foresters have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in forestry and have received additional training in water quality protection from the New York City Watershed Agricultural Council. Most of these foresters focus on woodlands in southeastern New York.

This advice from Cornell Cooperative Extension discusses what to look for in a forester, including education, experience, and referrals. It also lists questions you can ask a forester before hiring them.