What are the conventional harvesting ages for different tree species?

[ahrkron]

Does anybody know about any conventions for the ages at which trees of different species can be cut? does it vary by country or is there any international agreement on it?

 

[Jikx]

The rate in which Australia chops down its old growth forest (100s of years) in Tasmania, and the rate in which Queenslander farmers bulldoze the bush .. I'd have to say there is no such thing!

 

[fish]

British Columbia (Canada)

"Foresters have traditionally used the biological maturity of trees as the minimum harvesting age for planning harvesting schedules in the province. The Ministry of Forests standards arbitrarily define 120 years as the mature age for most softwood species; and 80 years for lodgepole pine in the interior.

Long-lived tree species such as ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir or redcedar have not maximized their economical value at the time of biological maturity. The market value generally increases with log size so that additional value gains can be made at the expense of some volume losses (lower allowable annual cut), if the stand rotation would be extended beyond the age of biological maturity."

http://www.woodlot.bc.ca/swp/myw/html/11_Harvesting.htm#harvest

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"If trees could scream, would we still cut them down? We would, if they
screamed all the time, without any reason." - Jack Handy