091610_2045_resincoding1Interpine implement external resin bleeding scoring in most of forest inventory operations, to assist with assessment of internal wood quality.

Introduction to Resin Coding Assessment
A series of studies have confirmed clear links between external resin on the bark of radiata pine and subsequent degrade and value loss in potential clearwood products. Resin scores are collected by forest inventory staff using the Wood Quality Initiative’s “Field Guide to Assist Recongnition and Classification of Resinous Defects on Bark of Radiata Pine”. This is then used to keep resin incidence within the woodflows from pruned stands constant over time and in particular avoid large numbers of severe resin stands being harvested over any period. Maps produced from resin scoring are used to identify resin prone areas and environmental factors, which should be avoided over the next crop rotation.

091610_2045_resincoding2Resin scoring is also extensively being used in :

  • Juvenile stem assessment can also be used in the pruning prescriptions as part of the selection criteria for trees to prune.
  • Genetic trials to remove the resinous seedlots from the next crop generation.
  • Combined with log-end segregration during harvesting to remove resinous logs out of the clears product line.

These tools are inexpensive and easy to implement with the potential to make a large difference in the impact of internal resinous defects of the value of your forest resource.

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Literature Cited – Quick Refs

McCONCHIE, “Field Guide to Assist Recongnition amd Classification of Resinous Defects on Bark of Radiata Pine”, WQI, Rotorua 2005. (Images shown are sourced from this text)

HUGHS, M. “Resin Assessment – Practical Implementation in Weyerhaeuser NZ Inc” Forest-Tech Paper, Rotorua, NZ 2007