In continuous cover forestry, the forest is kept continuously stocked with trees by flexibly applying the principles of natural forest development, taking into account stand structure, site quality, and the forest owner’s objectives. All native tree species are nurtured in a way that promotes genetic diversity in terms of age and size. Selective fellings remove large, mature trees and create growing space for smaller and younger trees as well as for natural regeneration. When necessary, dense thickets are also thinned. Understory vegetation is cleared only if needed to remove immediate obstacles to felling or to guide the proportion of tree species. Large, old trees of different species are selected as permanent retention trees, and the continuity of deadwood is promoted by leaving all standing dead and fallen trees in the forest.