Before thinning, a forester will usually take measurements in the woodland to determine the stocking, size and quality of trees in the stand. By referring to specially designed charts, the forester can determine the ideal stocking for your woodland to encourage fast growth. If too many trees are cut during a thinning, future wood growth and tree quality will be reduced. If too few trees are cut, the final harvest may be delayed many years or crop trees will be smaller than desired when they are harvested.