Tree Stand

the ligneous vegetation forming a forest. Stands may be pure (consisting of one species) or mixed (consisting of two or more species). Mixed stands are characterized by a main and secondary species. The main species is considered to be that which is numerically dominant and most important for forestry. Stands are also subdivided into simple stands (the tree crowns form one layer) and complex ones (the crowns are arranged in several strata). Complex stands consist of two or more species forming fairly distinct canopies differing in average height, or they are made up of one species of different generations. Stands are considered to be of the same age if they consist of trees of a single age class (ten years for soft-leaved and undergrowth hard-leaved species and 20 years for coniferous and seed hard-leaved species). They are regarded as being of different ages if they consist of trees of more than one age class. Several age categories of stands may be distinguished: young trees, saplings, middle-aged, ripening, mature, and overmature.