What is a Crop Tree?
When it comes right up to it, a crop tree is 
essentially a tree that you like that helps meet your management goals. Your management objectives or goals might include wildlife habitat, timber production, forest health, or you want to look at a forest of big trees. These objectives may differ a bit depending on who you are, but in all cases, crop trees must have a crown structure and dominant or at least a co-dominant position in the canopy that will allow the tree to respond to management and remain competitive as the trees in the stand grows and matures.
Crop Tree Release (CTR) is another form of Timber Stand Improvement (TSI), but on a more specific and targeted scale, focusing on the release of pre-determined crop trees only. Crop Tree Release specifically addresses the need for quality canopy trees to have room to grow and become more productive. If other resource concerns are in view, such as understory structure, species composition, or ground cover, then traditional Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) may be a better option.
This excellent resource called Crop Tree Management for Fine Hardwoods provided by the Walnut Council provides a lot of detail about CTR and crop tree selection.
If you would like us at Scenic Rivers Farm & Forest Consulting to evaluate your woods to help you determine if CTR would benefit you and your woods, please feel free to contact us.