Natural Stand Trees
At Kootenay Tree Farms, we proudly grow premium quality “Natural Stand” Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir. Each year, our trees are naturally regenerated and grown among a mixed forest of trees of all ages. Through thoughtful and responsible wildland stewardship growers space and prune the forest to encourage optimum growth and minimal damage. Because of this, Natural Stand silviculture practices provide the forest with long-term benefits and ensures the sustained yield of excellent fresh and enduring trees.
Stump Culture Tree Growing and Harvesting
Once our Natural Stand trees have reached their peak, each tree is carefully selected and harvested, leaving the north and south limbs intact. These branches left on the rootstock which will slowly turn up and grow into a new tree. This practice of regrowing new trees from established rootstocks is called “stump culture”, “limb-culture”, or “coppicing”. With this method of tree growing and harvesting, a single stump can produce up to twelve trees.
Once our trees are harvested, they are delivered to nearby inspection sites where they are examined sorted by size and grade then bundled to provide a safe and protected journey to destinations throughout Canada.
Agroforestry and Silvopasture
At Kootenay Tree Farms our Natural Stand Christmas Tree lands harmonize wildland values and human needs through agroforestry and silvopasture practices. Agroforestry is a land management practice that purposefully integrates the growing of trees with crops or livestock. Similarly, silvopasture is the intentional combination of trees, forages, and the grazing of livestock managed together in a mutually beneficial way.
Through these practices, Livestock and wildlife ranges are dramatically improved and the animals are free to openly graze the understorey forages of grass and shrubs between the trees. Wintering bands of elk, sheep, and deer thrive on the enhanced pastureland and our trees are harvested long after the nesting season of our wildland birds. There are also 390 head of cattle that graze our land for varying periods throughout the year.
Our premium quality Natural Stand trees are available for wholesale purchase to retailers throughout Canada. Wholesale purchase is also available to non-profit organizations for fundraising purposes.
