Table 1.

Terminology related to retention approaches in continuous-cover forestry

Terms	Definitions
Clearcutting	The harvesting of all trees at the same time
Continuous-cover forestry (CCF)	A forest management approach without clearfelling that maintains various tree ages within a stand by periodically selecting and harvesting individual trees or groups of trees. Synonym: uneven-aged management
Even-aged management	A management approach that regenerates forests through clearcutting, seed-tree systems, or short shelterwood phases resulting in stands composed of trees of a similar age (even-aged stands)
Habitat tree	A tree with special characteristics (unusual tree species, old age, microhabitats) or with good potential for developing important microhabitats, which makes it especially valuable to current or future biodiversity. Habitat trees are a main structure retained at harvest to promote biodiversity. Synonym: veteran tree
Legacy	A biological structure that persists over the harvesting phase, often a living or dead tree. It represents ecological continuity that is important to species and/or ecosystem functioning
Life-boating	The ability of trees retained at harvest to ensure survival of species from the pre-harvest phase over the regeneration phase
Tree-related microhabitat (TreM)	A structure on a living or standing dead tree that is particularly important to a species as a food source, shelter or other habitat requirements. Examples include cavities, burrs and cankers
Retention forestry	A forest management approach based on the long-term retention of structures and organisms, such as living and/or dead trees as well as small areas of intact forest, at the time of harvest. This approach aims to achieve a level of continuity in forest structure, composition and complexity that promotes biodiversity and sustains ecological function at different spatial scales. See Appendix S1 for more detailed terminology
Uneven-aged management	See continuous-cover forestry
Veteran tree	See habitat tree