Rayonier 2022 Sustainability Report: Sustainable Forest Management - Seite 2

DISCOVER HOW RAYONIER SCIENTISTS BRING DEEP KNOWLEDGE TO FOREST MANAGEMENT.

Tree Improvement and Forest Health

A continuous process of research, genetic selection, breeding, and testing enables us to incrementally improve the productivity and value of our forests over successive rotation cycles. We employ conventional tree breeding techniques, such as controlled pollination, and do not plant seedlings that are classified as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Our tree improvement research efforts are primarily focused on identifying and breeding tree families that grow larger, straighter, and faster, while at the same time having improved timber qualities. Our program is designed to enhance disease and pest resistance through careful genetic selection and site-specific silvicultural applications

We also conduct research to identify more effective silvicultural treatments to increase the survival and growth of the trees we plant. As part of this research, we monitor forest conditions for invasive species, weed competition, tree survival rates, soil conditions, and pests. We apply herbicides (generally below manufacturer-prescribed rates) only where and when needed to control competing vegetation as part of our site-specific forest management operations. Our selection of any such treatment is based on specific site needs as well as the safety and efficacy of any herbicide to be used.

Our research and development programs focus not only on current forestry conditions but also analyze the long-term impacts of climate change and its potential impact on our business. This includes evaluating anticipated changes in weather patterns across regions to assess the potential impacts to long-term forest health and productivity.

Harvest Planning

We rely on our in-house analytical expertise, including wood flow models and other harvest planning tools, to guide our long-term planning as well as our estimates of sustainable yield. We define sustainable yield as the annual harvest level that we believe can be sustained into perpetuity based on measurements of biological growth and the expected productivity resulting from our reforestation and silviculture efforts. Our long-term harvest plans, from which we derive our sustainable yield estimates, typically span 60 years in the U.S. South and New Zealand, and 100 years in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.