Often, forests are planted in the form of stands, which are divided plots or sections of the forest. Stands provide a sustainable method for forestry as the planting, maintenance and harvesting of each stand is staggered and occur on different timelines. This method allows present wildlife to migrate and adapt more easily when one stand experiences a prescribed burn or is harvested.

A healthy forest is a forest that supports biodiversity, soil health and carbon sequestration while providing bountiful timber products for landowners and managers to sell at the end of their life.

Healthy forests have: 

• Rich plant and animal life 
• Variety of habitats  
• Trees of different sizes and ages 
• Clean water 

•  Cutting down trees is not automatically a bad thing for our environment. When executed correctly in tandem with a forest management plan, harvesting timber can actually benefit the surrounding environment and ecosystem. 
• There is a major difference between deforestation and timber harvesting:
  • Deforestation is the large-scale removal, and sometimes complete removal, of forests. This is sometimes conducted in an effort to create non-forested areas for urban development, agricultural use and more. 
    • The effects of deforestation are detrimental to the surrounding environment as well as overall global climate health. Deforestation can lead to vast soil erosion, disruption of water cycles, increased gas emissions and loss of biodiversity. In many occasions deforestation causes irreversible damage that can take generations to repair. 
  • Timber Harvesting is the selective extraction of trees for a specific purpose, often conducted in an isolated stand. Timber from this extraction will be used for lumber, paper, construction and many other end products.  

Wood from one tree can be used in a multitude of ways. With emerging technology, lumber producers can utilize every aspect of a tree, allowing its potential to be greater than ever before.

For example, a sawmill that produces lumber may sell excess wood that is not cut to make the lumber. This excess wood can be processed into other materials such as wood shaving for livestock, wood pellets for cooking and covering material for landscaping and agriculture.  

The practice of utilizing every part of a tree creates both environmental and economic sustainability. 

When forestry is practiced sustainably, the end product of harvested timber can provide .

While end products of forests economically benefit industries and communities, the power of forest sustainability reaches far beyond a dollar value.