A silvicultural system is a planned program of silvicultural treatments designed to achieve specific stand structure characteristics to meet site objectives during the whole life of a stand.
This program of treatments integrates specific harvesting, regeneration, and stand tending methods to achieve a predictable yield of benefits from the stand over time. Naming the silvicultural system has been based on the principal method of regeneration and desired age structure.
Silvicultural systems on most sites have been designed to maximize the production of timber crops. Non-timber objectives, such as avalanche control and wildlife production, have been less common. Recently, ecological considerations and resource objectives have increased.