Headwaters Forest Reserve has several stands of second growth trees that are too dense. By having an excess of trees closely spaced, stands become overly competitive therefore limiting growth. This process is called the "Stem Exclusion Phase" of tree stand development where competition excludes weaker trees. Although this stage is a natural process, it can drastically reduce or even stop the growth of certain trees. The thicker-the stand becomes, the greater the fire risk. Consequently, this contributes to even less understory vegetative growth. This project encompasses developing a growth model using gathered tree data. By creating a model, foresters and restoration specialists can use it to produce and carry out potential thinning recommendations for second growth forest stands within Headwaters Forest Reserve.